HOW'S ABOUT THAT FOR SOME PRETTY SMART THINKING

 A NICE MORNING FOR A DRIVE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

There are 8 ingredients that go into my morning breakfast shake.  Some have a long shelf life and some do not.  Vanilla-flavored whey powder, cinnamon, and quaker oats last a long time while romaine lettuce, spinach, apples, skim milk, celery, and carrots do not.  If everything was bought at the same time and expired at the same time it would save me a lot of trips to the grocery store.  However, that is not the case and trips to the supermarket are commonplace for me.  We have a really nice well-stocked neat and clean Foodland right here in Bayfield but I have a tendency to buy most of my morning shake supplies in Goderich.  Now, I'm not, nor have I ever been too financially smart but by driving to Goderich I can maybe save myself $4.82.  Considering it probably costs me $6 for gas to Goderich and back I'm only out $1.16.  Now how's that for some pretty smart thinking eh:))

 BY THE SIZE OF THOSE EARS THIS MIGHT BE A HORSEDONKEY

 ALWAYS THINGS TO DO AROUND A FARM

 THIS WAS PROBABLY AN OLD STONE SCHOOLHOUSE AT ONE TIME

 SUMMER'S FARM POND COULD EASILY BE WINTER'S SKATING RINK

With morning sunshine beaming into our living room window and the thermometer slightly above freezing and on it's way up, Pheebs and I were out the door heading east towards Clinton.  With a stop at Tim Hortons for a coffee to go, we wandered our way over to the Hullett Marsh.  First time we've been out around that way this year.

 LOOKS LIKE SOME LOGGING ACTIVITY IN THE HULLET MARSH

 I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND THIS ROAD LEADING INTO THE MARSH OPEN BUT I DIDN'T GO ANY FARTHER THAN THIS BEFORE BACKING OUT TO THE MAIN ROAD

 I GUESS THE TIRES ON THE ROOF ARE TO HOLD IT IN PLACE

 I BET THESE COWS ARE FEELING GOOD TO BE OUT OF THE BARN INTO THE SUNSHINE

 SO NICE TO HAVE SUNNY BLUE SKIES OVERHEAD 

Ice and snow on country roads were melting so it was quite a muddy mess we got the Jeep into.  Why drive on the muddy roads you may ask?  Well, that's easy.....I just washed the Jeep Sunday morning in Goderich.  By the way, the car wash there is now $4 instead of $3.  It had been at $3 for years but of course with everything on the merry-go-round of rising prices now it's par for the course.  Sure as heck if the town grocer goes there to wash his car and sees the price has gone up he's gonna go back to the grocery store and raise his prices too.  Well, why not, he's gotta make it up somewhere to justify the extra dollar it costs him now to wash his car!!  And so it goes and goes and if and where it will ever stop nobody knows.

 YEP, THE COUNTRY ROADS WERE MUDDY ALRIGHT

 THIS DOGGY WALKING DOWN THE ROAD LOOKED LOST SO WE PULLED OVER AND STOPPED

 PHEEBS AND THE DOGGY MADE FAST FRIENDS

 THEY SOON HAD SOME SMOOCHES AND SNUZZLES GOING ON

 I HAD NO SOONER PULLED OVER WHEN A RED PICK-UP TRUCK PULLED UP BEHIND US...A FELLOW GOT OUT WITH A LEASH IN HAND AND IT WAS THE DOGGY'S OWNER:))

 PHEEBS WAS FEELING A LITTLE SNOOZY ON THE WAY HOME

So nice this afternoon to hear and see signs of snow melting.  Drip, drip, drip, is always a sure sign of a coming Spring.  Of course, I was outside this afternoon with my ice chopper trying to help Mother Nature along.  About an inch or so of rain is predicted to fall tonight which could lead to flooding.  An inch doesn't sound like much but factor in the melting snow-pack as well and the accumulating groundwater becomes substantial.  With the ground still frozen, it is unable to easily absorb water which can lead to flooding conditions.  From a weather advisory, it looks like the rain will begin tonight and last all day tomorrow with temperatures rising to near 50F.  I might have to put my insulated water wings on.  

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Wily Words::

I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.

If swimming is so good for your figure, how do you explain whales?

I dislike people who keep dogs. They are cowards who haven't got the guts to bite people themselves.

On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the escape key.

I have not yet begun to procrastinate.

I don't suffer from stress. I'm just a carrier.

Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along without it.

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