BLOGS, BLOGGERS, & BLOGWOBBLES

I am short on photos for today so am including pics from Bayfield's Vintage Car Show last summer.

Seems like there has been a fair bit of talk this past week or so about blogs, bloggers, & blog sites.  Pros & cons, thoughts, ideas, & concerns.  Egos have been mentioned, privacy issues discussed, & maybe some feelings stepped on.  Don't ya just love it when we all get a good old case of blogwobbles going on:))

Let me put the bottom line first.....it all boils down once again to each person's preference of what they want on their blog, how they want it to look, & what they want it to say.  When I went looking for a simple definition of a blog I ran into a long confusion of explanations but did find one simple enough for me to understand which said.............

(Quote)" A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world.  Your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules.  In simple terms, a blog is a web site, where you write stuff on an ongoing basis. New stuff shows up at the top, so your visitors can read what's new. Then they comment on it or link to it or email you. Or not.  Since Blogger was launched in 1999, blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others." (Unquote)

I generally try to keep an open mind about my blog & keep an ear to the ground to detect any unfavorable rumblings coming from either within the blog or from without.  Whenever someone questions something about the blog I always take it to heart & pour a lot of thought into what has been said.  Have I missed something, have I crossed a line somewhere, have I offended someone, have I stepped on somebody's toes, have my opinions alienated some people??  Unfortunately, I can answer 'yes' to all those questions but it is those very things that make my blog distinctively mine.  Yes, mistakes have been made, but with those mistakes have come progress, understanding, communication, & amazingly enough, a few new friendships to boot.

The recent concerns over an RV site called, RV There Yet led into comments about egos & who's blog is it anyway!!  Because a blogger wants exclusive rights to his/her blog & it's contents, does that suggest they have an ego problem.  No, I think not.   Is it an ego thing because bloggers put stat counters on their blogs to see how many people visit the site. No, I think not.  And is adding 'Blog Followers' a self centered thing too.  No, I think not.  Check out  RETIRED ROD'S blog, he just added the 'Follower's gadget today & he's been a daily blogger for a long time now.  Y'all might want to go over there & check out Rod's new & quickly growing 'Followers' list:))  I like JERRY'S comment that says, "We are amazed that we have 71 followers, and I do like to mention any new ones, simply to show them appreciation for joining us. As far as number of hits goes, I don't have a counter, but it would be interesting to know. Egotistical? No, but comments are to a blogger what applause is to a singer or an actor, laughter to a comic -- that's the big reward, the only reward of blogging -- a little response from someone who found it interesting, or even found a typo and thought it worthwhile to point it out."  And MOTTY'S comment this morning saying, "And Jerry/Suzy - I think you said it right. If we did not care about readers, we could write a journal on our hard drive on word, why even bother publishing it on the web. It is the interaction that creates the dynamics and excitement of blogging.  

I often question things on my own blog & that all too often leads to doubting blogwobbles.  Being a person of change I am always thinking about changing this or changing that but I have found through comments & emails from readers that they are satisfied with my blog exactly the way it is.  I waiver & wobble sometimes as whether to keep it going but am always encouraged by readers comments & emails to keep at it. 

I have a visible stat counter on the blog which incidentally tells me that as of right now we have had 123,540 hits on our site.  Is it my ego that displays that or is it just something that my little insecure self feels a tad proud of.  Should I hide those numbers.  No, I think not.  I, as well as other bloggers put a lot of time & effort into these blogs & the fact that people actually are interested in mine or others efforts is not something I feel should just be lightly swept under the carpet.  And I feel the same way about the 'Blog Follower' application.  Would we all like to see more followers & readers?  Of course we would.  Do we appreciate the blog comments from people?  Of course we do.  These blogs are put together by people who care about other people.  If they didn't care they could just write a simple diary of their daily events, keep it to themselves, & stuff it under their pillow at night.  No sharing.....no caring.  Lots more to be said on this topic but that's enough out of Mr. Blabberfingers again tonight....................................:))

It was with sadness today that I read about a phone call coming in the early hours of Wednesday morning to a fellow RV couple informing them that their son had just died.  It is the second son they have lost.  A very sad time for Mike & his family at MIKE & PAT'S TRAVELS

        

Welcome aboard to our latest blog follower Laura who host's her own forum, Nicest Seniors in Cyberspace.  Laura is also on ZOOMERS & you can find her here at home currently building a new website... LAURA'S PLACE IN CYBERSPACE  

      

For more pics of these vintage cars go to our Picasa Web Album at.... VINTAGE CARS IN CLANGREGOR SQUARE....BAYFIELD, ONTARIO CANADA

Judy from TRAVEL'S WITH EMMA identified yesterday's blog bird as a Sandpiper.  I have another bird for today's blog that is at our feeders quite a bit but has no colorful tell tale markings.  Just seems to be a Plain Jane brown bird.  Ok Judy, can you help us with this little fellow? 

TODAY'S LITTLE BROWN MYSTERY BIRD

Pepper Anne from LITTLE HOUSE ON WHEELS blogs today about the Dalton Gang's final demise in Coffeeville Kansas. 

A note to Janie & John who left a comment on last night's blog.  The saying, "Tourists see the world, traveler's experience it," at the end of our blog is not an original saying of mine.  I plucked it off someone else's blog awhile back.  It was not signed with anyone's name so I felt free to use it.  My original line is at the very bottom of our blog & I have signed my name to it.  Thanks for the comment guys & all the best in your new full timing adventures & yep, I sure know what you mean by you saying, "some of our friends don't know why we would want to do that."

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A man and a woman were having dinner in a fine restaurant.  Their waitress, taking another order at a table a few paces away noticed that the man was slowly sliding down his chair and under the table, with the woman acting unconcerned.  The waitress watched as the man slid all the way down his chair and out of sight under the table. Still, the woman dining across from him appeared calm and unruffled, apparently unaware that her dining companion had disappeared.  After the waitress finished taking the order, she came over to the table and said to the woman, 'Pardon me, ma'am, but I think your husband just slid under the table.'  The woman calmly looked up at her and replied firmly, 'No he didn't.  He just walked in the door.'

(There are some blog terms further down)

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

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.

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And, as if this blog wasn't already long enough here are a few 'blog terms' that go along with today's subject...........................

Blogosphere – the collective online world of blogs and bloggers

Commenter – a person who leaves comments on a blog

Comment Spam – comments posted to a blog that are blatantly commercial in nature and/or made for the sole purpose of gaining a link

Spambots – automated programs that post comment spam to unprotected blogs

Trackback – a system that alerts another blogger (by means of a ping) when you link to them

Ping – to automatically send a small packet of data out to actuate something, usually a trackback

Blog Roll – a collection of links on a blog, pointing to other blogs – it usually contains the blogger’s recommendations of other blogs to read

Blogstipation – writer’s block for bloggers

Flame – a hostile attack, often of a personal nature, made using a blog

Sock Puppet – a fake persona used by a blogger to defend him or herself online and/or attack critics

Vlog – a video blog. Used as a verb, it’s vlogging. A vlogger is one who blogs by video

THUNDERBIRDS IN CLAN GREGOR SQUARE

1961 FORD THUNDERBIRD (this is like the one I blogged about a few days ago)

Looking out the window first thing this morning I wondered if the Thunderbird car rally was going to be on to-day. Heavy cloud cover overhead & it felt like rain with all the humidity in the air. We didn't get far on our walk either because of the mosquitoes & biting sand flies.

57 T-BIRD

Kelly headed off to Deerpark Lodge for the day & I set up my camera & scope near our front yard frog pond in hopes of photographing a few birds at the feeders. No easy matter but the birds have been teaching me some rare patience!! I'm used to automatic settings on cameras where everything like exposures & shutter speeds is done in fractions of seconds with no thought or input from the person behind the camera except for composition. Trying to photograph a fidgety little bird half hidden 40 feet away in a cluster of branches with a totally manual telescope attached to a camera on fully manual settings sitting atop a tri-pod not designed for telescopes in the first place is a real fine exercise in quiet prolonged patience. What a great way to wake up the brain & learn some new camera techniques, and I'm loving every minute of it. . 55 THUNDERBIRD

Headed over to Bayfield's Clan Gregor Square around 11:30 this morning & sure enough there were the Thunderbirds this time. Not as many as the Corvette show earlier in the month but I think the threatening weather had put a damper on a number of Thunderbird owners. About 50 or 60 were there & more kept rolling in for the half hour or so I was there. First stop was a black 61 T-Bird just like the one I had blogged about a few days ago in, Moonstruck By A Thunderbird. It even had the same red interior. Always figured if I would have ever had the chance to have a hobby car it would have been an early 60's cigar shaped T-bird. Stopped at a small booth for a hot dog & ended up dropping a big load of hot dog relish onto my D50 Nikon so figured it was time to pack it in & go home. To see the photos from to-day's rally just click on THUNDERBIRDS.D

2002 THUNDERBIRD

Had an amusing afternoon with Chippy our new resident Chipmunk who has claimed the pond project area for his new digs because he likes the new birdfeeder buffet. I have 2 birdfeeders on a metal shepherd's hook pole & Chippy saw that as a direct line to Al's diner. Tried some clothespins on the pole but that didn't stop him so I put some white trailer hitch grease on it. That worked for awhile & it was comical watching Chippy slip sliding on the pole. Didn't take long for the grease to dry out & Chips was back up that pole & knee deep in birdseed again. I now have more birdseed in the pond than the local birdseed store has on it's shelves. Noticed a lot of frog tadpoles in the pond a clustering around the seeds. Apparently they have found that new buffet of yummies to their liking as well. Oh great, so now I'm going to have to contend with flying frogs in another few weeks!! Undeterred I went into my little workshop & headed back out to the pond with my trusty oil can. I lubed up that birdseed pole real good then went back up on the porch to watch the shenanigans. Wasn't long & Chippy was back & this time he had brought Mrs. Chippy. Obviously a planned night out at Al's Birdseed Diner. Well, it wasn't to be because neither one of them could get up the pole. The Diner dinner was a bust & Mrs. Chippy let Mr. Chippy know it too. With a flurry of harsh shrieks & tweets she was off through the shrubbery & headed for home followed closely by a somewhat disappointed & embarrassed Mr. Chippy!!
And you know what, I could swear that little Chipmunk turned around before disappearing under a large rock.........and gave me the finger!!!!

1960 FORD THUNDERBIRD HARDTOP (complete with 2 ladies inside)

GROANER'S CORNER: I couldn't quite remember how to throw a boomerang, but eventually it came back to me.

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.

A PERFECT WEATHER DAY:))

WILD DAISIES

New RV bloggers K & D have just launched themselves out here into the Cyber blogging world & are off to a good start. Located in picturesque British Columbia they have just posted their 4th blog entry & you can find them here..............
http://kanddintherv.blogspot.com/ Welcome aboard the good ship Lollyblog:))

DAISIES & CLOVER

To-day we had one of those perfect weather days. Low to mid 70's, no wind, just the right amount of fluffy clouds, no humidity & warming sunshine. Geeeezzzzz, I like when that happens. We have a small storm coming in over the lake at the moment but it's not a big one. Some rain, some thunder & lightning maybe & then it will be gone in the night. At least I hope so. Thunderstorms scare the beejeebers out of our little Motormouse & she noisily hyperventilates a lot, crawls into the bathtub, under Mom's bed, & tries to hide under my T-shirt............. while I'm still in it!! A CLOVER BUNCH ALONG THE TRAIL

Had a mobility van run over to London & back this afternoon so I really enjoyed being out motoring through the beautiful June countryside. Only about 10% of the run itself was in the City of London & anytime I don't have to be in a city for any reason I consider that a huge bonus. Why oh why oh why would any sane human being live in a city if they didn't have to. Just one of the many perplexing questions in my life I guess. Have I ever lived in a city......Yes!! A couple months in Montreal, a year in Halifax, about 9 months in Toronto, about 5 years in Kitchener, & about 20 years in Stratford Ontario. That's it for me...............no more cities!!!!

INSIDE AN IRIS

In regards to yesterday's blog about the Vintage car rally in Bayfield I managed to lay my hands on a summer schedule to-day for Clangregor Square. Any car buffs in the area might be interested in the "Vette Fest" (corvettes) for July 4th & 5th. Not to be outdone, the "Ford Thunderbirds" meet will take place Sunday July 26th.BIG FROG POND BOSS

Bayfield is a very "happening" village during the summer & for anyone traveling in the neighborhood be sure to drop in & spend some time in a little old town by the lake. Check out my photos of Bayfield here & you will see what I mean.....
http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/gallery/5845016_7pESE#362675509_zZfh9

YEP, THE HERMIT IS RIGHT...........THIS IS AN IMPATIENS FLOWER

When I was a boy growing up, Sundays were always quiet restful days. I still adhere to that, especially the quiet part. I know I have become less tolerant to noise in these latter years but it really annoys me when people insist on firing up lawn mowers, chain saws, weed whackers, or leaf blowers on these supposedly quiet mornings. Some even decide to work away on their cars with sanders, lug nut machines, etc. We have 6 days of the week for all that kind of stuff. Whenever I hear those machines running on Sunday mornings it tells me something about the person at the other end of that device. Not considerate of neighbors feelings & probably too absorbed in self to really care anyway. Do I wish we lived out in the country again...........you betcha!!!!

And remember..."Inside every older person is a young person wondering what the hell happened."

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

VINTAGE AUTOMOBILE'S IN CLANGREGOR SQUARE.....BAYFIELD ONTARIO, CANADA

We did something rare to-day..........we got in the car & actually went somewhere. For people who follow our travels in the southwest during the winter that statement may be a little hard to understand. Kinda hard for me to understand too but it seems from the time we return home in the Spring until the time we leave again in the fall we just never go anywhere!! Kelly's heavier work schedule has a lot to do with it & when she does get a few days off she's just happy to spend relaxing time at home. I'm not nearly as busy with my mobility van job as Kelly but I just don't seem to have the same travel urges as I do when we are in the southwest. Could have something to do with our over familiarity with this area. In last night's blog I had mentioned a couple living near St. Marys Ontario who I used to do a lot of gardening & groundskeeping for 10 years ago. It had been over 6 years since we saw Pat & Bernhard so to-day we headed off on a 45 minute drive to their place. Don't know how they do it but these people did not look one day older than the last time we saw them. Guess it's just that good old country living plus the fact they fly to their other home in Portugal every winter to escape the horrid Canadian winters. Winter is enough to age anyone!! Before leaving Bayfield we noticed a bunch of old cars lined up so made a quick stop at Clangregor Square where an antique car rally was underway. I'm not familiar with the makes, models, & years of these vintage cars but they were all clearly from the very beginning of the automobile era. A Hupmobile, a White, & an Oakland were mixed in with Fords, a Rolls Royce, & Cadillacs. Probably 50 or 60 cars in the park with many proud owners nearby. I managed to crack off a few photos & you can find them in a photo album I uploaded to-day. http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/VINTAGEAUTOMOBILESINCLANGREGORSQUAREBAYFIELDONTARIOCANADA
I didn't caption the pictures because none of the vehicles had any information about them posted & I didn't know the years. Would have been nice if the owners could have set up some kind of info board in front of their vehicles. PROUD HUPMOBILE OWNERS

The annual dreaded pine pollen menace has descended on us the past few days. Every year in June the Pine trees give off a fine pollen powder that wafts through the trees in fog like yellow clouds. It gets into every nook & cranny imaginable & if it rains we'll have small yellow rivers & puddles on the ground. It was something we never new of before moving here just as we hadn't realized that in the Autumn multiple pine needles fall to the ground & have to be raked up just like leaves. At the top of my pet peeves list regarding television garbage is LOUD TELEVISION COMMERCIALS!! Came across the following article a few days ago. Am I convinced this "volume" problem will be solved?? No I am not........broadcasters greed will probably prevail & the commercials will only get louder:((

By Carrie Wells, McClatchy Newspapers Carrie Wells, Mcclatchy Newspapers – Wed Jun 10, 4:27 pm ET

WASHINGTON — Congress soon might mute screaming TV-ad announcers who press viewers to "buy now!" — if broadcasters don't beat the lawmakers to the volume button.

Under a proposal to be taken up Thursday, the Federal Communications Commission would squelch ad volumes to the average decibels of the TV show during which they appear.

Currently, TV ads can't be louder than the loudest peak in a show, said David Perry , the chairman of the broadcast production committee of the American Association of Advertising Agencies in New York . Ads often seem louder to viewers, he added, because a program's volume peak rarely comes just before an ad.

"Every time the ads came on they blew me out of my seat," said Rep. Anna Eshoo , D- Calif. , who introduced the bill last June. "It really turns you off, makes you think, 'I'll be damned if I give them any of my money.' "

She's a member of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, which will consider the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, aka CALM. It has 63 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and two in the Senate .

Broadcasters say they have their own plan to lower TV ad volume, which could take effect within a couple of months. The switch to digital TV on Friday, they say, also could help by enabling advertisers to use a wider range of sounds, instead of relying on pure volume to get attention.

Dan Jaffe , the executive vice president for government relations of the New York -based Association of National Advertisers , said that advertising and broadcasting industry leaders knew that loud commercials annoyed customers because they'd received numerous complaints.

To resolve them, broadcasters and advertisers want to set their own standards, in which a commercial would be "loud enough that a reasonable person can hear it, but not so loud you can hear it in Mongolia ," Jaffe said. "Our members don't want to offend viewers."

Eshoo concedes that her bill isn't as high a priority as, say, health care or war funding, but she's confident that it will pass.

"People practically throw their arms around me when they hear about it," she said.

However, an aide to Sen. Roger Wicker , R- Miss. , who introduced the bill in the Senate last year, said Wicker wouldn't reintroduce the bill because he was working with broadcasters to hold down the volume.

"The senator is monitoring the progress being made and will consider reintroducing legislation if the industry cannot fix the problem on its own," Wicker's spokesman, Jahan Wilcox , said in an e-mail.

Perry, the ad agency association's spokesman on the matter, agreed that broadcasters should set their own loudness standards.

" Congress will inevitably make it more messy than it needs to be," he said. "It's like going after a fly with a pistol."

Britain set similar restrictions on loud ads last year.

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