ALL THREE OF US IN THE JEEP THIS MORNING RESULTS IN A BONE DENSITY TEST FOR ONE AND A MUDDY NATURE WALK FOR TWO OTHERS

It was all three of us in the Jeep again as we headed East through bouts of rain under heavily overcast skies.  Our destination was an hour's drive away and for me old familiar territory.  Kelly had a bone density test at the Stratford General Hospital scheduled for 10:45 and of course we were there plenty early.  Dropped Kelly off and headed straightaway for an old familiar and favorite place.  The TJ Dolan Nature area.

PHEEBS AND I HEAD OUT ON THE TJ DOLAN NATURE TRAIL

THIS WHOLE AREA IS AS GREEN AS GREEN AS GREEN CAN BE

THE TRAIL WINDS AROUND BEHIND THE OLD STRATFORD HOSPITAL WHERE I WAS BORN AND THATS IT THROUGH THE TREES

WITH THE AREAS BIG TREES AND AVON RIVER NEARBY IT'S A DAMP PLACE WHERE FUNGI DOES WELL

Stratford is my old stomping grounds.  Growing up in Tavistock Ontario ten short miles away Stratford was always our nearest Go-To big city.  Most all my relatives from my Dad's side came from and are still living in Stratford.  When I came back from the West in January of 1975 it was Stratford I settled in and remained there until 1995 at which time having met Kelly two years before we moved out into the countryside near Fullarton Ontario.

SOME OF THE LARGEST BEECH TREES I'VE EVER SEEN GROW HERE

BEECH TREES ARE OFTEN USED FOR CARVING ONES INITIALS INTO

One of my favorite nature areas in Stratford for all the twenty years I lived there was the TJ Dolan Area just a short half block north of the hospital.  Despite the drizzly weather I parked the Jeep and with Pheebs scouting the trail ahead off we went.  

THIS IS STRATFORD'S AVON RIVER FLOWING WEST OUT OF THE CITY

IF ONE WERE TO PUT A CANOE IN THE AVON RIVER HERE AND PADDLE UPSTREAM THEY COULD BE CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN STRATFORD IN ABOUT TEN OR FIFTEEN MINUTES

It's been a few decades since I last remembered walking the trail alongside Stratford's Avon River so it was a pleasant stroll with memories popping up here and there along the way.  Fortunately the city has preserved this area and it still looks the same as when I last walked it.  Same trails with many of the same old trees still standing.  They were old in the early eighties when I spent time enjoying this area with my Pentax 35mm camera.  Not much has changed with me either.  Still walking and hiking alone and still carrying a camera with me.  Enjoyable old habits just seem to go on forever:))

IT WAS AT THIS POINT ON THE TRAIL WE HAD TO TURN AROUND AND GO BACK.....TOO MUDDY

ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RIVER ACROSS FROM THE TJ NOLAN AREA IS STRATFORD'S AVON CEMETERY

DESPITE WET CONDITIONS THE CEMETERY MAINTENANCE CREW WAS ON THE JOB

My cell phone rang about 11and I knew that was Kelly calling to say she was ready to be picked up.  Pheebs and I with muddy paws and feet were already back in the Jeep so minutes later we picked her up.  A quick stop at Erie Streets McDonalds for coffee to go and we were headed back to Bayfield.  A bit of occasional drizzle in the air but not as much as when we had set out earlier in the day.

WALKING ONE OF THE TRAILS RIGHT ALONGSIDE THE RIVER

It was nice to go somewhere different this morning.  In the last couple years Pheebs and I have not been traveling as far afield as we once did a few years ago when we'd venture as far south as Port Franks or east as far as St. Marys, and Stratford.  Traveling north we would sometimes wander through Kincardine and Wingham.  Don't know exactly why it is we haven't been going as far except to say the price of gas and the Jeep's poor gas mileage are always knocking about in the back of my mind.  Noticed we haven't been over to the Hullett Marsh as much either.  Seem to be kind of stuck in a couple shorter routine drives.  Maybe it's a bit of mental tiredness on my part.  Maybe it's none of the above or maybe it's a whole bunch of other stuff.  Regardless of what it is though it still beats getting up then just sitting around doing nothing.  Well for me it does anyway.

It was late this afternoon when 'Little Red' took back first place when we saw her on the feeder again.  Watching closely after supper I watched her climb up that same shrub and make an unsuccessful jump.  Half an hour later she was back up the shrub again and I watched her make another attempt and this time she landed on the edge of the feeder's roof but just barely.  From somewhere I heard a mocking voice say, "Touchdown" then "Houston, the Squirrel has landed."  I sat here for awhile in perplexed defeat then walked out to the feeder with a brick...….and using that brick repositioned the feeder on the platform moving it a further 5 inches from the shrub.   We'll see what happens tomorrow.  Of course we all know what will happen tomorrow don't we!!

I SHIFTED THE BIRD STATION TO THE RIGHT ON THE POLE'S PLATFORM AND ADDED A BRICK AS A COUNTER BALANCE

'IF THAT BLASTED SQUIRREL DOESN'T STOP JUMPING ON THE FEEDER PLATFORM I'M LEAVING TOWN!!'

GROANER'S CORNER:((A biker is riding by the zoo, when he sees a little girl leaning into the lion's cage. Suddenly, the lion grabs her by the cuff of her jacket and tries to pull her inside the cage, under the eyes of her screaming parents. The biker jumps off his bike, runs to the cage and hits the lion square in the eye with a powerful punch. Whimpering from the pain the lion jumps back letting go of the girl, and the biker brings her to her terrified parents, who thank him endlessly. A New York Times reporter has watched the whole event. The reporter, addressing the biker says, "Sir, that was the bravest and most gallant thing I have ever witnessed in my whole life." The biker replies, "It was nothing, really ... the lion was behind bars. I just saw this little kid in danger, and acted as I felt right." The reporter says, "Well, I'll make sure this won't go unnoticed. I'm a journalist from the New York Times, and tomorrow's paper will have this story on the front page. So, let me get some details:"What do you do for a living?" The biker replied, "I'm a United States Marine." "And what is your political affiliation?" "I'm a Republican." The journalist leaves, again promising a front page story. The following morning the biker buys a copy of the Times to see if it indeed brings news of his actions, and reads, on front page: "U.S. MARINE ASSAULTS AFRICAN IMMIGRANT AND STEALS HIS LUNCH" 
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Seen on a bumper sticker::  Forget world peace--visualize using your turn signal!
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