BUSY DAY & A NASTY HAIL STORM!!

WE HAVE BUSY LITTLE BIRDS IN OUR FRONT YARD GARDENS (I may have posted this pic before but can't remember)

Turned out to be a busy  Monday as I filled in for a driver this morning & used the company's mini-van to move a fellow from one town to another for a short medical appointment.  This afternoon I was back in the mobility van & off to London with a young disabled fellow & his Mother on board. 

         

PARKED AT LONDON ONTARIO'S WELL KNOWN & RESPECTED UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL LAST WEEK

We were almost at our destination when the sky's opened up & we got hit with a short & savage rain storm with beating hail & nearly zero visibility.  Sounded like the hailstones were coming right through the windshield.  Fortunately the heavy deluge of ice & rain only lasted about 10 minutes but it was enough to spawn immediate flood warnings on the local radio station & it was amazing how much water was cascading down the streets.

HAIL ON THE GROUND BESIDE A HOUSE & SHREDDED LEAVES ON CAR OUT FRONT

Someone asked again what camera equipment I use & because I didn't get on it right away I have forgotten who it was so I'll include a link to a post I had done about that on September 19th of 2008 just in case that same person happens to be reading this tonight.  Just read the camera part & disregard all my other blusterings that day in long ago September.  The country was in full blown financial meltdown at the time & so was AL's attitude.......again:((  Click on..... NIKON CAMERAS

 

COUPLE OF NIKONS & A CANON.....NIKON D50 ON THE LEFT WITH THE D40 ON THE RIGHT & CANON BOTTOM RIGHT (Am hoping to trade that longer 55-200mm zoom lens in for a 70-300mm zoomer shortly) Photo was 'colored popped & sharpened' in Live Writer:))

Whenever I see we have a new follower I generally click on their profile to see who they are & if they happen to have a blog site.  That is how I have come across other folks interesting RV blogs & have sometimes included their links in my posts.  In the last little while I have generally liked to try & give new bloggers or new followers a bit of a jump start by including a point of interest from their post into my blog.  Latest follower Terry K's profile shows most of his categories as 'classified' so I am not too sure what that is all about.  My experience has been that most folks are very free, honest,  & open, with their RV lifestyle & blog sites, etc.  So, TK if you are a legitimate follower, I say welcome.  If not................??

WAITING PATIENTLY FOR A HUMMINGBIRD TO SLOW DOWN!!

My external hard drive seems to be acting up tonight again & is not letting me access my file photos.  I have a lot of photos stored on there.......or did!!

HAVING A LOOK AT ANOTHER JEEP.....2005

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A woman walked into the kitchen to find her husband stalking around with a fly swatter.  "What are you doing?" She asked.  "Hunting flies" He responded.  "Oh, killing any?" She asked.  "Yep, 3 males, 2 females," he replied. Intrigued, she asked "How can you tell?"  He responded "3 were on a beer can, 2 were on the phone."

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

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"UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, PART OF THEIR SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED"

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...... AL.

"OH OH"...DID IT AGAIN:(( EMAIL FROM BORREGO SPRINGS TO-DAY!!

A VERY SOFT MIST ON THE POND

I have always felt that music is the fastest way to transport the brain matter back into the mists of time.  How often have you heard a jingle on the radio or put on an old record or cassette tape, popped an 'oldies' CD into the player, & let it take you back to moments & whole eras of time in your life.  Remember all those good old television shows years ago with their catchy tunes you were always humming or singing along with.  Gunsmoke, Leave It To Beaver, Newhart, & Petticoat Junction, just to name a very few.  Came across this TV theme site in my files this morning.  Sit back, relax, & let those old familiar tunes take you back to a time & place long ago & don't feel embarrassed if you find yourself humming & singing along with the OLD TV SHOW THEMES

A few comments recently have asked what kind of camera I use for obtaining sharp clear images.  In October of last year I happened to post a blog answering that very same question.....  October of 08 was a difficult financial time for many folks so disregard my blusterings in the first paragraph of the CAMERA BLOG & skip to the camera part beginning with the second paragraph. 

ALONG THE BANK OF THIS MORNING'S POND

As an update to that blog I would like to add that I generally use the 'Sharpen' feature in the Picasa photo program as well.  It allows you to adjust the sharpness of your image.  I also like the newer 'Retouch' tool in Picasa 3.5 & it does wonders for dust specs, etc.  Your photo program is every bit as important as your camera.  Even with cheaper cameras colors can be enhanced, images sharpened, lightened, or darkened with contrast features, etc.  Many times your eye sees vibrant colors but depending on the lighting your camera may not see those colors the same way you do & the results may be disappointing.  But, not to worry, chances are you will be able to restore those colors to the way you saw them in your photo program.  Picasa 3.5 is a great easy to use little photo program, it's a free download from Google, & you can find it here PICASA 3.5

THE FOREST FLOOR IS ABLAZE WITH COLOR

Photo programs came with both my Nikons & Canon but I don't use them.  I upload my photos directly from the camera right into the Picasa 3.5 photo program.  No confusing Nikon or Canon programs in between.  And speaking of the old never ending Canon vs Nikon rivalry.  It's the same argument as Chev vs Ford, Motorhome vs 5th Wheel, diesel vs gas, hamburger vs cheeseburger, Michelin vs Goodyear, Tim Hortons vs Starbucks, or Wal-Mart vs itself.  Bottom line is the same in that they are all fine products with varying degrees of pros & cons & it boils down to individual tastes & requirements.  For example, Canon camera's are mainly used in Astrophotography because of their different metering system than Nikon.  I have never suffered from the narrow mindedness of brand loyalty so whatever car, camera, motorhome, peanut butter, lawnmower, shoes, or pants, suit my needs at the time.......that is the one I go with!!

AFTER THE RAIN

Oh, & before I forget........a big resounding "yes" to the question about a darker background in the blog making the photos 'pop' out.  That was my number one reason for choosing the dark background for our blog.  I wanted the photos to stand out!!  You will notice the same thing over at Laurie & Odel's blog..... SEMI TRUE TALES.

AUTUMN REFLECTIONS

White is not my favorite color anyway & I didn't want the blog looking like a standard run of the mill ho-hum newspaper article so I've got it looking like a local popsicle stand with all the different colors.  And it is those popsicle colors that compliment the photos.  Yes, I know it looks a bit like a circus carnival at times, but.................:))

DAPPLES OF FOREST COLOR

In yesterday's blog I had a few things incorrect about Borrego Springs in California & was fortunate enough to receive a nice email to-day from Dan Wright, CPO & President of the California Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds tactfully pointing out my errors.  I'll let Dan set the record straight in his own words......

Hi Al and Kelly,
I appreciate your nice blog posts about Borrego Springs and The Springs RV Resort. The photography is quite good!
Couple of minor points; The name of our project is "The Springs at Borrego". ( Minor detail, I know.) Also wanted to point out that there are no permanent dwelling units of any kind at The Springs. The ones you saw along the golf course are part of The RoadRunner Club, a 55+ Luxury Golf Community next door.
Anyway, keep up the good work and we would love to see you in sunny and starry Borrego. By the way, if you make it to Borrego Days (Oct 22-25), don't miss the headline act Saturday evening at 5PM - Its Jacqui Foreman, an amazing young and beautiful singer-songwriter who is going to do a knockout 2-hour show at Christmas Circle.
Hope to see you there!

Dan Wright, CPO
President
California Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds
www.camp-california.com
General Manager
The Springs at Borrego RV Resort and Golf Course
PO Box 70 - 2255 DiGiorgio Road
Borrego Springs, California, 92004
Cell phone: 206-295-6921
RV Desk and Pro Shop: 760-767-0004
www.springsatborrego.com

General Manager
The RoadRunner Club
55+Luxury Golf Community
PO Box 308 - 1010 Palm Canyon Drive
Borrego Springs, California, 92004
Cell phone: 206-295-6921
Office: 760-767-5374  Golf Pro Shop: 767-5373
www.roadrunnerclub.com

Thanks for the email Dan & unfortunately we will still be in Canada on those October dates you mentioned but hope to make it down your way sometime early in 2010......... Al & The Bayfield Bunch:))

RAIN DROPS ON PINE NEEDLES

GROANER'S CORNER:))  A man is recovering from surgery when a nurse asks him how he is feeling. 'I'm O. K., but I didn't like the four-letter word the doctor used in surgery,' he answered.  'What did he say,' asked the nurse. 
'OOPS'

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS  http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.