AN ODD LOOKING SHIP IN GODERICH'S HARBOR MAYBE ISN'T A SHIP AT ALL AND A WALK ALONG THE MAITLAND WOODS TRAIL

THIS BABY GOOSE IS STEPPING RIGHT ALONG

I did something this morning I set out not to do today.  Saturday morning I came home with 117 photos in my camera.  This morning I was determined to come home with no more than 20.  I rolled in the door with 132 which I was later able to edit down to 98.  Because of so many photos I will include half of our morning walk now and half tomorrow. (Monday)

MARSH MARIGOLDS ALONGSIDE A GENTLE STREAM IN THE FOREST

EVEN OUT IN THE COUNTRYSIDE, I AM SEEING ROSE BREASTED GROSBEAKS

PHEEBS CHECKS OUT A PATCH OF MARSH MARIGOLDS AS WE ROLL BY

A gusting and frigid East wind sideslipped Pheebs and I all the way north to Goderich this morning.  Noticed an odd-looking ship flying an American flag at Goderich's Compass Minerals salt mine dock.  Took a few pictures then slipped over to the other side of the harbor and it was there where I noticed this odd-looking ship actually wasn't a ship at all.

I THOUGHT SOMETHING LOOKED ODD ABOUT THIS VESSEL BUT DIDN'T PICK UP ON IT UNTIL I WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HARBOR

STRANGE LOOKING SUPERSTRUCTURE FOR A....SHIP??

AT UPPER RIGHT CAN BE SEEN THE LARGE CONVEYER SALT SHUTE WHICH POURS SALT INTO THE SHIP'S HOLDS

THIS CONFIGURATION SHOULD HAVE GIVEN ME A CLUE BUT DIDN'T

HMMMM, A MYSTERY SHIP INDEED

I'M AT THE NORTH SIDE OF THE HARBOR AND THE SHIP IS ACTUALLY MOVING BACKWARDS SO THE BIG SALT SHUTE CAN FILL THE NEXT HOLD

IT WAS AT THIS POINT I FINALLY CLUED IN WHAT WAS GOING ON HERE....THE DOROTHY ANN IS ACTUALLY A LARGE TUG BOAT FASTENED TO A LARGE BARGE TYPE AFFAIR WHICH IT PUSHES THROUGH THE WATER....BE SURE TO CLICK THE LINK TO READ ABOUT THE DOROTHY ANN

From the north harbor area we headed back through Goderich to the southeast end of town where I knew a trail entrance to be at the Easternmost end of Huckins Street.  Fully expecting signs and barriers to be up with no entrance warnings of the Covid-19 thing imagine my surprise when there were no signs up at all.  The Maitland Woods Trail was open and we were good to go.  Keep in mind this is not the main trail entrance which may have had reams of yellow tape blocking its access.  The entrance Pheebs and I generally use is the one at the eastern end of Huckins Street.

PHOTOS ARE IN A BASIC SEQUENCE AS WE WALKED THE TRAIL

THE AREA WE ARE IN IS SWAMPY WITH MANY GROWTHS OF CEDAR TREES

WE SAW A LOT OF SKUMP CABBAGE

PHEEBS NEVER GETS LOST AND ALWAYS  KNOWS THE TRAILS

THIS LITTLE RED SQUIRREL WAS THE ONLY FURRY WILDLIFE WE SAW

Pheebs and I spent the best part of an hour on the trails and never encountered another soul.  Trail was a bit soggy in spots but for the most part well maintained by a group of hardy volunteers from Goderich and area.  So nice to be out walking a forest trail again and my legs thanked me all the way home for taking them for a walk.  

WE HADN'T GONE FAR WHEN I NOTICED SOMETHING UNUSUAL

SLOWLY VENTURING CLOSER I COULD SEE A FOREST WITCH MUST LIVE HERE....WOW WHAT A SURPRISINGLY GREAT FIND

SHE DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE HOME SO WE CAUTIOUSLY MOVED CLOSER

DARE WE GO INSIDE? ..... YES WE MUST

A STUMP TABLE IN THE CORNER WITH SOMETHING ON IT

NOTHING ON THE OTHER TABLE

BACK TO THE FIRST TABLE FOR A CLOSER LOOK.....I THINK IT'S LOOKING LIKE A WITCH'S POTION

I'D SAY THE ROOF COULD USE A LITTLE WORK

I THINK MAYBE WE HAD BETTER MOVE ON DOWN THE TRAIL BEFORE THE FOREST WITCH GETS HOME

Planted a few more flowers for Kelly in our front flower bed.  Without the tags right beside me I can't think of their names.  So nice to see color in our flower beds.

LOGS AND FINE STONY GRAVEL HAVE BEEN PUT DOWN IN SOME WET AREAS AND BELOW IS A NICE CLUMP OF WHITE BIRCH

WINDS SWEEPING IN OFF LAKE HURON A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY SOMETIMES TAKE A HEAVY TOLL ON AREA TREES

We had been under a weather watch and it was early afternoon when the rains began.  Another good day for kicking back in my sunroom recliner and reading.  Looks like this rain may last until late Tuesday.  Oh well, still lots of books for me to read out there.  And read as many as I can I will:))

THERE ARE A LOT OF BOARDWALKS OVER TOP SWAMPY AREAS

This marks about the halfway point of our walk earlier today and tomorrow on the last half of today's walk I will show you another great surprise we found in the woods.

NICE TO SEE FELLOW WALKERS AND HIKERS LEAVING A FEW TREATS FOR THEIR FOREST PALS

And thanks to readers for identifying Saturday's mystery Duck in my post as a Blue-wingedTeal.  I had looked in my bird books and hadn't found it which just proves I am notorious for not being able to find things I am looking at.

AND WHILE IN GODERICH WE CAME ACROSS THESE TWO VERY PROUD CANADA GOOSE FAMILIES AT THE EASTERN END OF THE HARBOR

I'M SEEING ANOTHER 'END' HERE JUDY:))

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded:  "Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty. You're crazy to go to Rome. So, how are you getting there?"  "We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!" "Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. "That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, their flight attendants are ugly, and they're always late. So, where are you staying in Rome?"  "We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome's Tiber River called Teste."  "Don't go any further. I know that place. Everybody thinks it's gonna be something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump, the worst hotel in the city! The rooms are small, the service is surly, and they're overpriced. So, whatcha' doing when you get there?"  "We're going to go to see the Vatican and we hope to see the Pope."  "That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. "You and a million other people are trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You're going to need it."A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome. "It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot. And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!"  "Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope."  "Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me. Sure enough, five minutes later, the Pope walked through the door and shook my hand, I knelt down, and he spoke a few words to me."  "Oh, really! What did he say?""He said: 'Where did you get the crappy hairdo?'
===================