"WELL, WELL, WELL, HOW ABOUT THAT", I THOUGHT TO MYSELF

 GOLDFINCHES

It was exactly 9:15 a.m. when on this very last day of the year 2020 that an event occurred I had been waiting these past couple of years for.  My first cup of coffee at Bayfield's 'finally open' Tim Hortons coffee shop.  'Well, well, well', how about that I thought to myself as I rolled through the drive-thru.  Been a long time coming!!

 THAT'S THE SIGN I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR:))

 HEADING INTO THE DRIVE-THRU

 I'LL PICKUP AND PAY FOR MY COFFEE AT THE RED FRAMEWORK

 'AHHHHH, HOW SWEET IT IS:))

With a fresh cup of coffee in hand Pheebs and I headed south out of Bayfield picking up the first country road going east.  It was a sullen-looking morning under a heavy cloud cover but at least it wasn't freezing rain or snowing.  Roads were good except for a few sections which are not maintained in the winter.  Those sections were very icy.    

 ONE DOES NOT WANT TO BE OUT HERE ON THESE ROADS WITHOUT A 4-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE

 SOME SECTIONS OF COUNTRY ROAD WERE SOLID ICE

 THIS SMALL LAKE IS FROZE OVER ALREADY

We were home by 10:30 on this the final day of the year.  I know everything will be much the same tomorrow as it was today but for me, it is always a good feeling to see one year fade into the past with another brand new year sliding right in behind to take its place.  Just something in those two words 'New Year' that somehow works for me.  

 MANAGED A FEW MORE BIRD PHOTOS THIS AFTERNOON

 NUTHATCH

 FEMALE CARDINAL

Noticed some of the newer roads in our Park were plowed back through the bush so Pheebs and I were able to get ourselves a good afternoon walk in.  Halfway around the road skies began clearing to the West and the Sun came out.  How nice to end the year on a sunny note.

 HOW NICE TO SEE SUNLIGHT THROUGH THE PINES CASTING SHADOWS

 MALE CARDINAL

 JUNCO

 BLACK-CAPPED CHICADEE

No New Year's resolutions of course.  The darn things don't work anyway.  If any of you folks are still up late tonight and feel like a romantic dance with your Sweety, here's a little something to get you moving.  Boogie With Mister Yellow Pants  All the very best to everyone in the New Year and we'll see y'all on the flip side Clyde:))

GROANER'S CORNER:(( The couple had an outstandingly happy and successful marriage. The husband was once asked to what he attributed this remarkable situation.  "It's simple," he said. "Division of labor. My wife makes all the small, routine decisions. She decides what house we buy, where we go on vacation, whether the kids go to private schools if I should change my job, and so on."  "And you?"  "I make the big, fundamental decisions. I decide if the United States should declare war on China, if Congress should appropriate money for a manned expedition to Mars, and so on."

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One day YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook will merge...It'll be called YouTwitFace.

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OKAY, I'M READY, BRING ON THAT BIG SCARY NEW YEAR WILL YA

MY LITTLE TWEETSY PIE

Woke up to a weather advisory about 'freezing rain' and looking out the window we could see it had snowed in the night.  That snow had now turned to freezing rain making for icy conditions this morning.  Not nice.

 ALONG WITH ALL THE BIRDS OUR SQUIRRELS WERE ACTIVE THIS AFTERNOON AS WELL

We still haven't readjusted from the time change a couple months ago and instead of being up before 6 a.m. most mornings like before, we're not feebly stumbling to our feet until around 7:30 now.  Almost like a big chunk of the day has already gotten away from us.  Instead of being out the door around 8 it is now sometimes after 9 before Pheebs and I have the Jeep's wheels rolling.  There is an upside to sleeping in so late though.  It does measurably shorten these overbearing dull gray winter days. 

Needed to pick up a prescription at Walmart and Kelly needed a couple cans of 'Cream Of Chicken Soup' so Pheebs and I braved the elements and headed off.  Worst roads we came across of course we're right here in our very own Park.  It was a light drizzly rain all the way to Goderich and with varied snow patches along the way I kept the Jeep in 4-wheel drive.  

 IT WAS A MIX OF RAIN, SLEET, AND SNOW EARLIER TODAY

 RAINING IN GODERICH TOO

Took a quick drive down to the harbor but we didn't get all the way out to Rotary Cove.  Surprisingly, the road was blocked by a big pile of dozed up snow.  First time I have ever seen them do that down there.  

 ROTARY COVE ROADBLOCK

 'AWWW NUTS DAD WE CAN'T GET TO THE DOGGY WALKING AREA NOW'

Twenty minutes later with my prescription and soup in hand, we were soon on our way home again.  Roads seemed slushier and it was still raining.  It's what we would call up here a dirty driving day.

 ROADS WERE A LITTLE DICELY ICY IN SPOTS

 OOOPS, MY CAMERA AUTOMATICALLY FOCUSED ON THE WRONG HORSE

 THINKING ABOUT HAVING A SNOOZE IN THE BACK SEAT

Home again I shoveled some slush off the pathways and around the birdfeeders.  Not many birds around at first but later up when glancing up from our sunroom's desktop computer there was probably the best part of two dozen birds zooming around everyplace.  On the ground, on the feeders, and in the trees.  Cardinals, Blue Jays, Mourning Doves, Woodpeckers, Purple Finches, Juncos, Black-Capped Chickadees, Goldfinches, and one Tufted Titmouse.  I am convinced they are all in cahoots and travel together on a chartered bird bus from one bird feeding area to another.  The bus pulls up, the door opens, and a swoosh of birds fly out and gobble up all the birdseed in sight.  Then it's back in the bus they go and off down the street to the next neighbor's bird feeders.  A minute ate all is quiet in the front yard again as I sit blankly staring out the window wondering, 'what the hell just happened'!!

 YOU CAN SEE WHY ITS CALLED A 'BLACK-CAPPED' CHICKADEE

 IN A HURRY TO GRAB A PHOTO OF THE RED MALE CARDINAL I DIDN'T SEE THE FEMALE CARDINAL ON THE LEFT UNTIL I EDITED THE PHOTO

Well, here we are nearly at the end of yet another year.  And what a year it has been.  But then again, I can honestly say that about most every year I have spent here on this Planet.  The ups, the downs, the lows, and highs.  Sad, glad, mad, and bad all seem to go hand in hand.  The changes are real, some routines the same.  Disappointments come in bundles while surprises slip stealthily in the back door.  Don't know what's ahead, can't remember what's behind.  But I guess it was a good year because I appear to still be here.  Common sense and logic have greatly lessened while massive gullibility has rapidly increased these past few years.  And it rapidly ramped up all together in 2020.  Well anyway, it's off to 2021 we go and already the four numbers are easier to type so I guess all things maybe won't be so bad.  Silly thinking I'd say with a healthy hint of skepticism thrown in to balance out that elusively measured jolt of optimism bantering about somewhere in this sometimes seemingly confused and empty head of mine.  Okay, I'm ready, bring on that big scary new year will ya:))  

GROANER'S CORNER:((  I work in a busy office, and when a computer goes down it causes quite an inconvenience. Recently one of our computers not only crashed, it made a noise that sounded like a heart monitor.  "This computer has flat-lined," a co-worker called out with mock horror.  "Does anyone here know how to do mouse-to-mouse?"

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Mother: "When I was your age, my mother used to hide money around the house for me that I would find only if I performed my chores particularly well. One time when I was cleaning out the cupboards for her, I found $20 under the old shelf paper."
Daughter: "Wow! What a cool idea! Why didn't you ever do that with me?"
Mother: "But my dear ... I have been."

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So you don't believe in Global warming eh!!