INTERNAL PRESSURE HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO BEAR!!

LAKE FREIGHTER TAKES ON A LOAD OF ROAD SALT AT GODERICH'S SALT MINE

It is only 4 days since my decision to drop our 'comments' section from the blog & already pressure has been brought to bear.  Not only is it coming from blog readers but it's coming from right here at home as well.  Kelly pointed out to me Tuesday how much all the comments meant to her & her
Mother when her Dad died a few weeks ago.  She reminded me that if I had turned off the comment section before that, those appreciated comments would not have happened.  Also received an email yesterday from my Aunt Jean in Florida who stated, "I really miss the comment corner that you removed. Hope a lot of other people feel the same, & maybe you'll put it back in someday.  It was so nice to read what people had to say about Harry's big move, & also the comments regarding Kelly's Dad passing away." 

 

PART OF THE GODERICH SALT MINE COMPLEX

And then I read RETIRED ROD'S 
blog this morning & he brought up another couple of points so here I am now, thoroughly
caught between a rock & a hard place.....again!!  Will I ever learn to stop wedging myself in there!!  What is a feller to do:((  Yes it is my blog but as it was pointed out to me, I am not the only one living here & the Bayfield Bunch constitutes more than just Al.   I was also told I am not the only one who reads the blog comments here either!!!.  Needless to say........I have taken a pounding!! 

Of course if I re-instate the comments section there will be those who will accuse me once again of doing this to attract attention to the blog & making people jump through hoops & over barrels.  And yes, I did receive an email Tuesday stating the 'hoop' aspect of that.  Let's just make one thing perfectly clear here (no, I did not get that from Obama) I have never done that, nor would I ever do that!!!!  Conclusion............. I am not a stubborn, narrow minded, unreasonable or hard headed person to get along with, therefore I will re-instate the comment section & let the cards fall where they may.  May peace & harmony reign once again in not only Blog Land, but here at home as well................10-4 darn it!!  
  

SALT IS BROUGHT UP A LARGE CONVEYOR BELT & THEN DROPPED DOWN THAT LARGE ROUND TUBE INTO THE SHIPS HOLD

And, on the lighter side.......I do not normally put slide shows, videos or You Tube stuff in my posts because it slows things down & plays havoc with readers dial up connections
& limited 5 Gig bandwidths.  But today I will add the following You Tube simply because I identify so much with the main red headed character plus it is my kind of humor:))  Also, at the end you will see two old codgers sitting in a balcony.  That is my Stratford buddy Jim & I ........in a few years of course:))  (speakers on)

I REMEMBER THIS SKIT WELL FROM THE DAYS I USED TO WATCH SESAME STREET (if you watch this, guess what tune is going to be rattling around in your head all day:))
 
Our weather turned out to be a complete reversal from Tuesday's rain.  Lots of sunshine with warmer temps had me in the Jeep about 10:30 this morning heading for the town of Goderich.  It's that time of year when vehicle license stickers have to be renewed.  Had the Motor Home & Santa Fe to do & from the time I walked through the licensing department door to the time I walked back out the door, only 5 minutes had elapsed.  Always a bonus when things go smoothly like that.  Took a drive down around the Goderich Harbor & spent an hour or so scrambling around taking a few pics.  It's a great time of year to be around the beach & breakwater areas because the noisy summer beach crowds are long gone.  Always glad to see crowds gone no matter where it is:))

I particularly liked what RETIRED ROD had to say in his post this morning when he wrote {QUOTE} "I feel as though I know you almost better than I would just sitting around a campfire.  There is something about writing our thoughts on a computer screen, that seems to mesmerize us into being almost more honest than we could be in person.  We explain our goofs, and dumb moves almost shamelessly and think nothing of it.  (I wonder if Rod was thinking of me here) Usually we get a bunch of comments, telling us not to be so hard on ourselves, and that the commenter's have done exactly the same thing.  Or encouragement and suggestions how to get out of our trouble.  So I have grown to really like blogging, and the friends it has brought me." {UNQUOTE}

THE SALT MINE EXTENDS UNDERGROUND FOR MILES BENEATH THE LAKE OUT THERE

Well said & I totally agree with Rod's thoughts.  Whether it be blogging, emailing, messaging or commenting, etc the written word has a way like no other of leveling the playing field.  It is by far my favorite form of communication.  I do not have an A type aggressive personality & when I come into head on contact with those types of people I feel very uncomfortable & characteristically will clam up & immediately work on an exit strategy.  Yet, if I were in email contact with the same person I would feel much more comfortable.  It is one of the things I like so much about blogging.  A person can sit down in the comfort of their own home, compose their thoughts without interruption, intimidation or confrontation.  Words & paragraphs can be reworked, ideas clearly expressed, & emotions controlled.  For people like myself, honesty is much easier in written form.  Emotions are easier to express & I find it much more pleasant to meet & get to know new people with my keyboard.  But, put me in a room of strangers & I am toast.  Drop me into an RV rally setting with all it's social pressures & I am more than just toast.....I am burnt toast with mud on it!! 

 

THAT LONG CONVEYER BOOM IS FOR OFF-LOADING THE SALT

So, when Rod wrote about probably getting to know people better than just sitting around a campfire, that struck a chord with me.  And it struck a another chord when he said, "there is something about writing our thoughts on a computer screen, that seems to mesmerize us into being almost more honest than we could be in person."  Well Rod, I know exactly what your talking about.........And a big 10-4 to all that too!!

A SLIGHT MIST IN THE MORNING AIR

GROANER'S CORNER:((  My wife and I were sitting at a table at her high school reunion, and she kept staring at a drunken man swigging his drink as he sat alone at a nearby table.  I asked her, "Do you know him?"
"Yes," she sighed,  "He's my old boyfriend.... I understand he took to drinking right after we
split up those many years ago, and I hear he hasn't been sober since."  "My God!" I said, "Who would think a person could go on celebrating that long?"
And that’s when the fight started Officer!!
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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

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

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

MAY 24TH WEEK-END....THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER:))

GEARED UP FOR SUMMER & READY TO RUMBLE

In Canada we commonly refer to this as the May 24th week-end & it is the traditional kick-off to summer.  It's a big celebratory week-end with folks pouring out of the cities & heading for cottage country & the beaches like here in Bayfield, Grand Bend, & Goderich.  Many boats will be going back into the water after a long winter in storage.  Cottages will be opened & aired out.  Stores, shops, art galleries, eateries, & cafe's will be open for another busy summer.  Lots of parties & fireworks going on.  The teenagers will flock to Grand Bend about 20 minutes down the coast from us & the police presence there will be tripled & quadrupled for the week-end.  A lot of the rowdy teenagers who used to hang out in 'the Bend' back in the 60's have since grown up & are now retired in Bayfield........ including me.

 

'GRAND BEND BEACH'....PROBABLY A COUPLE OF THOSE WILD TEENAGERS FROM THE 60's.....REMEMBERING WHEN:))

Unlike the tourists who flock to Bayfield we remain hidden in our little pine forest about a 5 minute drive from the heart of the village.  Traffic will be chaotic & the small local grocery market will be shoulder to shoulder with people picking up everything from bags of ice to an endless supply of wieners, charcoal, & suntan lotion.  We learned years ago to make sure we have all our groceries or anything we need before the week-end tourist gang rolls in & especially on the long week-ends. 

ALONG BAYFIELD'S COLORFUL & PICTURESQUE MAIN STREET

It is a perfect week-end to stay home because the roads & highways can be heavy with people racing to & from their cottages.  Camp grounds & Provincial Parks will be jammed packed full & will basically stay that way right up to the Labor Day week-end in September.  The only times we would ever go to the Provincial Parks anymore around here is either before the May 24th week-end or after the Labor Day week-end.  The Pinery Provincial Park which is a half hour south of us is totally beautiful in Spring & Fall when the hordes of people are not there.

ANOTHER BAYFIELD SUNSET

Noticed on Facebook that MOTTY & PATTI are now in the Bryce Canyon, Cannonville, & Kodachrome Basin area of Utah. (you might want to read their post about returning to their rig after 3 weeks to find a very much most nauseating stench)  The places Motty & Patti are visiting right now bring back a lot of memories for us.  Utah is one of my most favorite States simply because of it's beauty.  That whole southwest area of the United States is like no other.  I have picked out 3 separate blogs & photo albums of our memorable times in & around Cannonville Utah.  Check out...............WILLIS CREEK SLOT CANYON...SLOT CANYON PHOTOS

ATOP GROSVENOR'S ARCH...GROSVENOR'S ARCH PHOTOS

DESCENT INTO BRYCE CANYON...BRYCE CANYON PHOTOS

MAX CROSSES THE SHALLOW CREEK IN WILLIS CANYON

LOOKING BACK & DOWN INTO BRYCE CANYON WHERE WE HAD JUST HIKED THROUGH THE 'QUEENS GARDEN' FAR BELOW

NOVEMBER 15TH, 2007 - VIEW FROM ATOP GROSVENOR'S ARCH AFTER A HEFTY CLIMB FROM THE VALLEY FLOOR BELOW....I FIRST CLIMBED THIS IN 1992

GROANER'S CORNER:((  "Grannie, do all fairy tales begin with, 'Once Upon A Time?"  "No darling.  There is a whole series of Fairy Tales that begin with, "If Elected I Promise'."

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

IT'S TIME FOR THE ANNUAL TRADITION

AM WONDERING IF THIS MIGHT BE A PAIR OF MERGANSER DUCKS ON THIS MORNING'S POND

It's a mechanical thing so I know I will likely be beat before I get started today & I also know if I was smart I would get Kelly to do it.  But, I will once again try to do for myself something that Kelly could probably better do for me.  It's supposed to be a guy's thing anyway you know!!

MORNING SHADOWS

I'm talking about the annual spring ritual of getting the motorcycle started.  Things made of metal that sit for very long periods of time in very cold weather have a tendency not to do the things they are designed to do. One of those things is......'start!!'  Pretty much happens to me every year.  It is just my fate in life.  If it's mechanical, I'm toast!!  First thing I struggle with is getting the charged up battery back into the bike the same way it came out.  Never wants to fit & I usually have to put it in backwards at least once.  I am one of those bumblefingers who has to repeatedly fumble with tiny things like screws so it takes me awhile to get the battery terminal wires tightened down.  Have to keep stopping to look for things I have dropped on the ground.  I generally sit on the floor & make myself as comfortable as possible because with all the fiddling it usually takes me awhile.  Assuming all goes well with getting the battery installed & I don't lose my patience & bounce the screwdriver off my neighbor's garage floor, I move on to the next step.

 

IT'S TIME TO GET THE BIKE FIRED UP FOR ANOTHER SEASON

With the key in the ignition & the choke on full I begin the seemingly endless cranks of the starter.  I swear that sometimes days actually pass as I sit upon that motorcycle cranking that starter.  I can see the sunrises & sunsets go by out the window.  Occasionally I'm forced to remove the battery, walk home, & charge it up all over again.  I generally take advantage of this downtime to use the washroom & grab a bite to eat before returning & mounting the noble steed once again.  And so it goes until one day the engine actually gives a cough & then maybe another.  If I'm lucky, those few coughs might turn into a few chugs.  If I can get more than 5 or 6 chugs going in a row I consider it my lucky day as once again the annual routine of starting up the motorcycle slips into the past for another year.  If only I was smart enough to get Kelly to do all that in the first place the bike would be purring as smooth as a kitten on the very first crank.  And she would probably put the battery in right side up the first time too.  But, couldn't ask her to do that today because.......it's Kelly's Birthday:)))))))

<<< EARLY MORNING FROST

JERRY from, 'Our Life On Wheels' had a very logical question about something I posted in my blog last night. (I like logical questions) Jerry asked....Lake Huron has no salt water, so where does the salt mine get salt?  There is a large vein of salt running underground that stretches hundreds of miles beneath the bottom of Lake Huron & extends all the way over to & under the State of Michigan.  The Sifto salt mine in Goderich is the largest underground rock salt mine in the world & it's large tunnels stretch for nearly 3 miles out under the lake. 

                              

LAST AUTUMN'S FINERY.....A LONE MAPLE LEAF & A COUPLE GOLDEN ROD PLANTS

Kelly & I were fortunate enough about 14 years ago to get on one of the last public tours of that mine.  Unfortunately I was in my photography 'down period' in those years so didn't come away with any photos that day.  I do remember how cavernous it was down there with many roads running off into the darkness here & there.   Mammoth dump trucks carried large loads of chunky salt rock to a very big & noisy underground crusher.  The salt was crushed & processed before being sent to the surface.   From there it is loaded into large lake freighters, railroad cars, & 18 wheeler trucks.

We had expected the mine's tunnel walls & ceiling to be white but they were mainly black.  It was explained that years & years of diesel fumes from large trucks & other machinery had deposited a black soot on the otherwise white salt walls.  I also remember the huge exhaust fans & the consistent 68F (I  think that's what it was) temperature regardless of winter or summer temperatures on the surface.  It is the salt from this mine that ends up on our roads & highways during the winter months.  GODERICH SIFTO SALT MINE

CHECKERS CARRIES HOME A LOG FOR THE FIRE PIT THIS MORNING

I had written the first part of this blog earlier in the day anticipating problems with starting the motorcycle.  I am happy to report that aside from having some problems getting the battery in (of course) I was able to finally get the bike started OK.  Took 7 long cranks & then a cough or two on the 8th.  A few solid chug, chug, chugs on the 9th crank & with number 10 I had the bike up & running for another season.  And I didn't even have to have Kelly come out & start it for me either...........Awwwwwww:))  

 

SHE'S JUST A LITTLE SWEETY PIE AND ALWAYS WANTING TO HELP WITH THE BLOG:))

GROANER'S CORNER:((  And a helpful tip to avoid injuring yourself in the kitchen...... Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.

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

LIVING NEAR THE BIG WATER

LAKE HURON'S ENTRANCE TO THE GODERICH HARBOR

Took most of the day but we are finally in sunshine with record breaking warm temps predicted for the end of the week.  Yes, we are Canadian, & yes, we do talk about the weather a lot up here:))

STORMS CAN WHIP THIS LAKE INTO A FRENZY AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE

I have blogged about our two different lifestyles before & I was reminded of that again this morning as I stood atop a small cliff face in Goderich, Ontario Canada looking out over the vast expanse of blue/green water known as LAKE HURON.   It's the third largest fresh water lake in the world with the 4th being the Caspian Sea.  23,010 square miles of water with an encompassing 3,825 shoreline to boot.  This lake's maximum depth in spots is 750 feet with an average depth of 195 feet & to the unsuspecting eye it is akin to looking out over any of the world's large oceans.

And, by the way.....I'm from the old school with a brain which still prefers to function in miles, feet, inches, acres, & Fahrenheit.  I understand all our Canadian centipeders, kilomaxinators, celciousologies, hectariouses but what the heck, I'm 65 & don't really care!!

THE INNER GODERICH HARBOR WITH LARGE GRAIN SILOS ON THE LEFT & THE GODERICH SALT MINE AT FAR CENTER

For the past 5 months we had lived our daily lives in the desert regions of the American southwest where the largest body of water encountered each day was probably in the bottom of our toilet bowl & there certainly was no average depth of 195 feet there.  Here in our northern latitude summer home we live about a mile from a body of water that has a length of 206 miles & a breadth of 183 miles.  And no, we cannot see Michigan on the other side.

THE SALT MINE'S TUNNELS STRETCH FOR MILES OUT UNDER THE LAKE

This morning's lake was smooth with calming colors of aqua blues & greens.  No signs of white cap waves & no signs of the fury these great Lakes can churn into chaos & peril for unsuspecting ships & lives upon the water.  Remember the Edmund Fitzgerald!!  There are no tides upon these lakes & no salt in their waters.  Mysterious sea creatures are not found along their shores & they do not stretch from polar ice cap to polar ice cap.  But, from nearly any point of any of the great Lakes shores you would swear you are looking out over the ocean.

GODERICH SALT MINE AT BOTTOM RIGHT

Visitors & guests from other countries who visit DEERPARK LODGE where Kelly works have a natural tendency to call Lake Huron, the ocean.  People from England & surrounding countries find it hard to believe that our Lake Huron shores are not actually playing host to ocean waves.  So, for over half the year we live, play, & work, beside a body of water so huge that we occasionally see large ocean going vessels plying the waters up the coast for stops in the nearby town & port of Goderich Ontario & beyond.  And the other half of the year we have to content ourselves with floating the rubber duck you know where!!

SUN SPLASHES ALITE ON LAKE HURON'S SURFACE

Quite conceivably from where we live here in the 5 Season's Estates we could hoist a canoe over our heads, walk out the driveway & make our way through the pine & maple woods to the Bayfield River about half a mile south of us.  We could then put the canoe in the river & drift the short mile long distance down to Lake Huron.  With a bit of paddling & a generous smack of good luck thrown in we could paddle to the south end of Lake Huron & enter the St. Claire river which in turn would take us to the small Lake St. Clair, & into the Detroit River.  From there it is into Lake Erie & with a turn to the northeast we head off to the other end of the shallowest great lake where we would by-pass Niagara Falls via the Welland Canal & paddle into Lake Ontario from the west end.  A bit more paddle work in the water would put us at the Lakes northeast point whereupon we would enter the St. Lawrence River & that would take us all the way up & out past the Provinces of New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, & Newfoundland into the very Atlantic ocean itself.  From there the rest of the world is our neighbor.  Reverse that journey & you can see how the ocean going vessels of the world can end up off our shores here along Lake Huron.  Always nice to occasionally see the big freighters far out on the lake making their way to or from various ports all around the great Lakes. 

WITHOUT SUNLIGHT THE WATERS LOOSE THEIR VIBRANT COLORS

Equally as nice to watch are the tiny white fishing boats coming in with their early morning catches of the day.  Soon the weather will be warming up & that will bring the many sailboats out of the harbor & cast them like tiny bobbing & colorful butterflies upon the ever-changing moods & hues of the sparkling waters.  Blazing sunsets will sizzle into the lake leaving long shimmering sun trails in the water before disappearing into the orange & yellow horizon.  You can almost envision a great cloud of steam when that blazing orb touches the cooling water's surface.  Another beautiful sundown in Bayfield, Ontario.

AN OLD SHIP'S ANCHOR KEEPS WATCH OVER THE HARBOR ENTRANCE

And so, it is quite a contrast we see, & live in, with our traveling lifestyles.  From fiery sunsets over looming jagged mountain ranges of the southwest to equally fiery sunsets over a vast body of ocean like water stretching from horizon to horizon, north & south here in Ontario.  Aw yes, what a life it is, what a life it is indeed:))

LITTLE MOTORMOUSE INSISTED WE GET HER A BLANKET THAT MATCHED HER EYES

GROANER'S CORNER:))  Fred got home from his Sunday round of golf later than normal and very tired. "Bad day at the course?" his wife asked. "Everything was going fine," he said. "Then Harry had a heart attack and died on the 10th tee."
"Oh, that's awful!"
"You're not kidding. For the whole back nine it was hit the ball, drag Harry, hit the ball, drag Harry."

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

ONLY 3 STOP SIGNS BETWEEN US & WALLY-WORLD

CABOOSE.....SURE DON'T SEE MANY OF THESE ANYMORE

Quite often it is while I'm taking my morning shower that a blog idea pops into my head for the day. Maybe it's the hot water running in my ears that somehow stimulates the brain cells to spark at one another creating a few new thought patterns to work on. Well, hot water was running over my head into my ears alright this morning but it failed to ignite any creative sparks so here I sit staring blankly at the computer screen. NOT MUCH LEFT INSIDE

It was the second screen I stared at blankly to-day with the first one being at Wal-Mart's Pharmacy department in Goderich this morning. The only medication I ever take is a daily pill called Arthrotec which seems to help with the arthritis in my legs. Been on it about 12 years now. If I don't take it my legs become very stiff & achy by the end of the day & I kind of seize up like the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz. I knew I had one last fill up on my prescription left so figured I'd get that filled to-day. When the cashier rang it in I stood staring blankly at the $190.00 number on the display. What the.......!!!! Seems I had 2 fill ups left so that's what I got dinged for. Oh well, that should carry me through the next 200 days which will put me just past my 65th birthday whereupon my next fill up should be a lot less expensive. When the Doctor first prescribed Arthrotec for me I was to take it 2 times a day but due to the always ongoing economic factors I was forced to cut that down to 1 a day. I have kept it at that ever since. Like I've said before, I'm not able to leap over tall buildings or run faster than a speeding bullet anymore but I do manage to get where I'm generally going most of the time:))
On my way to Goderich this morning I was thinking how lucky we are to be living where we do. We can reach any one of 2 McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Zellers, Radio Shack, Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons, a major Pharmacy, 2 major food chains, 3 gas bars, Home Hardware, Harveys, Swiss Chalet, A&W, plus a whole number of smaller retail outlets without ever having to go through a traffic light. And most of them with only 3 stop signs or less. And all of them within 20 minutes of where we live in this quiet country setting. It's also a peaceful paved country road drive between here & Goderich with very little traffic. Why would anyone ever want to leave here & go away huh. One word......WINTER!!!!
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A FEW PICS OF TADOUSSAC'S REAR END:))

GODERICH HARBOR WITH GRAIN ELEVATORS ON LEFT & THE EMPTY LAKE FREIGHTER TADOUSSAC ON RIGHT

A couple days ago I had a few errands to run so slipped up to the town of Goderich Ontario which is about a 20 drive north of Bayfield. Cloudy day & not great for photos but I took a swing down around the harbor & grabbed a few pics of a large lake freighter anchored there. It was sitting high in the water so was probably awaiting a load of grain or salt. Goderich is known for it's large underground salt mine stretching for miles out under Lake Huron. Kelly & I were lucky enough to get onto one of the last public tours of that mine about 12 years ago. Sorry, didn't take a camera with me that day. Goderich is a unique place & I hope to slip up there in early June & do a little photo shoot along the lake & around the harbor...........WONDER IF IT WAS POPEYE WHO SLUNG THE ANCHOR & CHAIN OVER HIS SHOULDER & SWAM IT TO THIS PILE OF ROCKS Goderich: http://www.goderich.ca/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goderich,_Ontario
http://www.goderich.worldweb.com/ SALT MINE BUILDINGS ARE ON THE HORIZON

A nice warm sunny day here & everything is really greening up fast. By June we will be into one of the nicest months of the year. Our yard is at it's best in June with everything looking very tropical. I sometimes get to looking a little tropical myself in June.......................................:)) ONE OF THE HARBOR TUGS RESTING UP FOR ANOTHER BUSY SEASON

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