BEN AND BRI...... A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL:))

A PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE TOOK PLACE HERE SATURDAY:))

I stepped out the door this morning about 8 & stepped right back inside again.  It was time to put on my warmer winter coat.  I'm not one of those people who doesn't mind the cold.  I do mind the cold so I generally dress myself on the warm side of doubt.

 

AUTUMN AT OUR HOUSE

Had some folks to pick & up & drop off with the company's mini-van & that took up the majority of the morning.  Leaves are beginning to color up  along the bush lines & the heavy dew on the work van's windshield suggested our first frost is not far away.  Noticed the farmers are in the fields with their combines taking off the beans now.  Corn will be next.

A quiet & cozy forested cottage by the lake in Autumn is truly a romantic setting.  It was here at DEER PARK LODGE'S 'Hutch' on Saturday where Kelly's youngest son Ben, proposed to his girlfriend Bri.  Ben & Bri have been together for over 3 years & it was nice he chose the Hutch to propose marriage on their short week-end get-away.  The Hutch is where Kelly's Mom & Dad liked to stay when they came to visit us from Spencerport NY.   I'm sure Ben's Grandpa Frank was there in spirit tending to the glowing embers in the fireplace.

  

 

BEN & BRI.........photo by KELLY:))

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Looks like Montana's Janna & Mike over at TIN TEE PEE/LOG CABIN got themselves a spiffy little Jeep Wrangler Sahara last week. It's going to fit right in with their new love of boondocking for sure.   We had been waffling back & forth on which Jeep top to take with us this winter but I think we have pretty much settled on the hard top.  After all the trouble I had this summer with trying to stretch, pull, push & finagle with the soft top it was soon apparent to me that I was never going to have the patience for all that.  I think the hard top will travel better plus gives us additional added security.  Too easy to slit a soft fiber top with a knife & reach in to grab a camera or something.  Less wind noise with the hard top as well.  If need be, I'm sure Kelly & I could remove the hard top if we really wanted to.  Only 2 windshield clamps & 6 easily accessible bolts to be undone before lifting the whole top off.  Kelly is strong like Bull!!

Seems every year we go south we have some kind of different BBQ cooking device.  A few years ago it was a Cobb Cooker, last year it was a Coleman something or other along with a gas Weber.  I think the Coleman has gone the way of the DoDo bird already & has been replaced with a BBQ Weber.  Haven't seen the Cobb around for awhile so it may have already caught the last train to Clarksville.  The charcoal powered BBQ Weber Kelly brought home this afternoon required assembly so as soon as we got it out of the box I was right at it with my trusty screwdriver like a true NASCAR mechanic assembling an 800 hundred horsepower turbo charged race car engine.  Five minutes into the job I was toast so you know who had to finish the assembly!!  

    

A little fairy must have come in the night & fixed our rig's toilet because I saw water in the bowl late Friday afternoon.  It hasn't held water since last March because the seal in the flapper mechanism needed replacing.  Turns out the little fairy was Lorne's RV here in Bayfield & he must have slipped over & fixed that sometime Friday morning when we were both working.  Kelly had called him a couple weeks ago & he said he would pop in & replace that seal next time he was in the neighborhood.   Don't ya just love when things happen smoothly like that.  I guess the next thing on the checklist will be 2 new tires for the front of the Motor Home.   By the time we're ready to head for the southwest in another month we'll probably have about $3 left in our bank account for gas to get there:((  Boy, this part time RV life is sure not for the faint of heart......or pocket book!!

     

A  FEW OF MY SOUTHWEST BIRD PALS

GROANER'S CORNER:   Shortly after a British Airways flight had reached its cruising altitude, the Captain announced:  'Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. Welcome to Flight 293, non-stop from London Heathrow to Toronto. The weather ahead is good, so we should have a smooth, uneventful flight. So sit back, relax  and... OH, MY GOD !'  Silence  followed!  Some  moments later the Captain came back on the PA;   'Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry if I scared you. While I was talking to you, a flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my  pants!'  One Newfie passenger yelled out.......'Lord tunderen jezis, you  should see the back of mine!'

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS

http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

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

TODAY WAS AN 'INSIDE JOB!!'

VIEW FROM THE CLIFF TOP AT DEER PARK LODGE

The rains began sometime in the night & continued non stop through the entire day.  It was a good rain because it kept me inside at the computer.  It was high time I buckled down & took care of  some long overdue email correspondence.  I think I had emails here dating back to 1836.  Carol M south of Lake Ontario, Wilf in Kirkland Lake, my Aunt Jean in Sarasota, Florida.  GYPSY in Sacramento California & RICK in Cowichan Bay BC to name a few.  I have more to go but had to fit a blog into the line-up here somewhere too.

THIS IS THE UNDERBRUSH AREA I WAS CUTTING THE WILD GRAPEVINE OUT OF A FEW DAYS AGO

Karen from SMALL HOUSE BIG BACK YARD is selling their 60+MPG Scooter complete with helmets & carrying bar for attaching to the rear of an RV.  She has photos & all the info on her blog site.  Looks like a nice clean street machine & Karen describes it as having a Barcalounger ride.

RETIRED ROD is facing  surgery very shortly & is going to be out of blogger action for awhile as he takes time to recuperate.  Might want to drop by with some encouragement & wish Rod well.

Ivan from ROADTRIP 2010 is on the move again this time up in Saskatchewan.  I always enjoy following Ivan's adventures because he is a true outdoors man & ventures into places with his RV that few of us will ever get to see.  His narrative & photos are always great & informing.  Be sure to drop by & see Ivan's cutey pie travel partner & chief navigator, Hailey:))

And, could there be a 'Jeep' addition at Mike & Janna's TIN TEEPEE/LOG CABIN ranch out there in Montana:))

MORNING DEW

Had a surprise email from a lady at the Gold Rock RV Park west of Yuma, California this morning.  She had stumbled across our 2008 blog from the time we stopped into the Park to do laundry one day.   We were boon docking about 4 miles south of there at the time.  We walked around the Park while laundry was drying & I actually took some photos of her yard & when she described her property I knew exactly which one it was & the day I took the photos.  An old truck with a pumpkin head driver:))  It only happens rarely but every once & awhile we'll get an email from someone who has come across one of our Bayfield Bunch cards or heard of the Bayfield Bunch from someone & it always makes my day when that happens.  You can see our two visits to Gold Rock Ranch & it's historical mining artifacts here..... GOLD ROCK RANCH 2008 and GOLD ROCK RANCH 2010  This was an area General George Patton used in the training of U.S. Army troops during WW2 & there are some pieces of military equipment here that were found in the surrounding desert.

JUST OFFSHORE FROM DEER PARK LODGE

And let me just wrap up today's post by saying I have been getting some opposition from unexpected sources about my decision to remove my blogs 'comment' section.  And some things have been pointed out to me today that I hadn't considered when making my decision to do that..............:((

DEER PARK LODGE'S CABIN CALLED 'THE HUTCH' OVERLOOKING LAKE HURON'S BLUE & GREEN WATERS

GROANER'S CORNER:((  I was thinking about how a status symbol of today is those cell phones that everyone has clipped onto their belt or purse. I can't afford one. So, I'm wearing my garage door opener.
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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

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

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

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

IT'S THE WARMTH IN THE COLD AIR I LIKE BEST

CLEAR CRISP AUTUMN NIGHT'S MAKE FOR A HEAVY DEW IN THE MORNING'S CHILL AIR (Canna Lily leaf)

My Sunday blog got a little long winded so I'll try to keep this one shorter.  The most exciting thing that happened in my life today was the wheel falling off my wheelbarrow.  On the great 1 to 10 excitement scale that little itty bitty adrenalin rush barely makes the chart.  Maybe if I had been running blindfolded on a bumpy road next to a cliff edge smoking a big cigar with a wheelbarrow load of nitroglycerine I could have bumped up the excitement level a few notches by blogging tonight about a loud & thunderous explosion I experienced today.

AUTUMN'S CORN HARVEST WILL SOON BE UPON US

A bunch of blogs back GYPSY had blogged about tie dyed shirts & that reminded me of a T-Shirt I had tied down & dyed a bunch of years ago.  Mentioned to Gypsy I still wear that old faded t-shirt & she asked to see a picture of it.  I finally remembered that this morning so out of my drawer came my tie dyed T-shirt.......holes & all.  I especially like to wear it when we go somewhere fancy:))

    

We've got lots of Bamboo Grass here at home so this morning I dug some up, hooked the utility trailer to the Jeep & transported a couple swatches over to Deerpark Lodge where I transplanted them.  While there, Kelly had some errands in Goderich to run so I quickly volunteered to do that for her.  Like I said before....any excuse for a Jeep jaunt works for me:))

   

NOTICE THE NEAT-O BIRD HOUSE & POLE ACCESSORY I HAVE ON THE JEEP'S ROOF

Our neighborhood handy guy Bruce put up a couple of spice racks in the Motor Home last Saturday & re-installed a wall mirror I had foolishly removed a couple years ago.  Better to have Bruce do these jobs & that way things will stay on the wall & not end up on the floor where they likely would if I did one of my infamous custom scotch tape installation jobs.

      

2 NEW SPICE RACK'S & MIRROR IS BACK UP

Nicest thing I like about the cold outside air.....is the indoor warmth.  With the falling Autumn temperatures it is once again time to light up fire places, furnaces & various heaters.  What a warm fuzzy feeling it gives me every year to come in out of the cold & damp to a warm cozy house.  Maybe the fresh smell of coffee, maybe some finely scented Potpourri simmering on the stove, relaxing music wafting out of the stereo, a big warm comfy chair with a toasty blanket,  contented furry little critters asleep in their favorite spots & a special person to share it all with.  Yep, it's the warmth in the cold air I like best alright.  No wonder it is my favorite time of year.

GROANER'S CORNER:))

A  married couple were asleep when the phone rang at 2 in the morning.
The  very blonde wife picked up the phone, listened a moment and said, "How should  I know, that's 1200 miles from here!" and hung up.  The husband said, "Who  was that?"  The wife answered, "I don't know, some woman wanting to know if the coast is clear."

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

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

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

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

IT WAS A FINE DAY FOR PUTTERING

A SUNDAY VIEW FROM DEER PARK LODGE (click any of the pictures to enlarge)

Hey, where is RETIRED ROD!!  Didn't see him in the blogger line-up this morning.  Ya don't suppose he went for one of his Wendy burgers, forgot to take his wallet & Wendy's has kept him there washing dishes for a few days.  Nawwww, more likely he's got his new jet ski stuck in the bathtub.  Just wait till Loyce finds out about that !!

TOWERING PINES OVER OUR DRIVEWAY

Thanks to all the folks who sent in the re-assuring & nice emails today.   Much appreciated.  I will keep you posted in the blog about how this new 'no comments' venture is going & how I feel about it.

TURKEY VULTURE BY SUNSET

Our nice summer like weather from a few days ago sure took a hit.  Two mornings ago at this time it was 71F & this morning it is 46F.  The cooler weather will hasten the turning of the Autumn leaves & our first overnight frost will really begin to pop the colors in another few weeks.  I'm sure glad we don't live in an area year round with only one season.  It is the changing of the seasons that gives the northern latitudes their special appeal & beauty.  Winter has it's own majesty but those beautiful sunny winter days with snow on the pine bows are two few & far between to make staying here an appealing thing for us to do.  Now that our southwest departure date has been pushed back to early November I will be keeping my fingers crossed for civilized weather.  If we get a cold snap & have to winterize the rig I am going to be one very, very, very, unhappy camper!!!!

OUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD WINDMILL

Grocery shopping is not one of my favorite things to do simply because of the usual swarms of inattentive people cluttering the aisles with abandoned shopping carts.  I would like to see grocery stores put yellow lines up & down the aisles just like a highway & how about making people wear belts with brake lights in the rear & attention getting back up beepers as well. 

LOTS OF BOATERS OUT TODAY ENJOYING THE LAST FEW GOOD SAILING DAYS OF THE SEASON

And how big does the grocery store have to make the sign at the express check-out counter that says, '1 to 8 items or less!!!!  I stood in that line Saturday morning with my carefully counted 7 items & watched a lady 2 people ahead of me unload about 463 items onto the conveyor belt.  She obviously wasn't going to spend HER time in the normal cashier line-up.  Lucky me had a cart but the fellow in front of me was struggling with two heavy jugs of milk, a bag of broccoli, & package of wieners.  Despite this woman's inconsideration & blatant rudeness I saw the cashier as the problem.  It was her responsibility to refuse the rude ladies obvious attempt to bull her way through the fast check-out.  And the rude lady took her time about her bullying too.  Sometimes ya just want to step up & smack somebody!!  I did later see the guy who had been ahead of me in the line.  He was out in the parking lot & I swear both his arms were at least a foot longer & I think he had just let the air out of all the rude ladies tires:))

AUTUMN HAS TOUCHED THE DOGWOODS

I have an old hooked walking stick beside my recliner that I use to open & close the patio door beside me whenever the doggy guys are needing to go out or come in.  This old gnarled walking stick has another purpose as well.  It doubles as a hockey stick.  Twice or more everyday Checker's, Motormouse & myself have us a big full blown NHL hockey shoot out.  Our living room hockey rink floor looks like a kindergarten nursery with all the colored rubber balls strewn about.  Checkers always starts the games by bringing over one of the balls while I'm in the recliner.  I grab my walking hockey stick, lean over in my chair & shoot the ball across the floor with both her & the Motormouse in hot pursuit.  If the mouse gets to the ball first she will sometimes bring it back but most times shoots it into a corner.  Checkers, being a pure bred border Collie, always returns the ball to the side of my chair.  As I whack off another slap shot in the direction of our 42" flat screen TV Kelly sometimes winces in her chair but I keep the shots on the ice & the two furry goal tenders are good at stopping a lot of the shots.  Sometimes Max joins in the game but most times sits it out on the sidelines.  These games take place in the morning around 7 & again just after supper around 6:30.  The Mouse usually tires of the game after 10 minutes but Checkers would play forever.  There is generally a lot of excited barking going on & sometimes referee Kelly has to step in, seize the puck, & put an end to the game:((  

KELLY SHOWING SOME GUESTS AROUND DEER PARK LODGE SUNDAY MORNING

Oh, & a word about that 4,000 plus comments I mentioned in Saturday's blog.  I didn't just pull that number out of the air.  If you go to your Blogger Dashboard & click your 'Comment's tab you will not only find the number of comments you have received on your blog but you will also find all those comments saved there as well.  When I pulled the pin on our comments section yesterday our count stood at exactly 4,185:)) 

MOODY SKIES OVER LAKE HURON

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Two elderly women were out driving in a large car-both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red but they just went on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself "I must be losing it, I could have sworn we just went through a red light."

After a few more minutes they came to another intersection and the light was red again and again they went right though. This time the woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really concerned that she was losing it. She was getting nervous and decided to pay very close attention to the road and the next intersection to see what was going on.

At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was definitely red and they went right through and she turned to the other woman and said, "Andrea! Did you know we just ran through three red lights in a row! You could have killed us!"

Andrea turned to her and said, "Oh, am I driving?"

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

Until one has loved an Animal, part of their soul remains un-awakened.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

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

AL'S SMUG MUG PHOTO GALLERY http://stargeezer.smugmug.com/

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