LITTLE ELLA GETS A PUPPY

 HOW'S ABOUT THOSE HAPPY LITTLE GIRL EYES EH:))

Yes, Kelly's Granddaughter little Ella got a puppy Friday:))  No name yet but the little cutesy-patootsie is a mix of English Bulldog and Boston Terrier.

 PHOTOS COURTESY OF ELLA'S MOM AND DAD RICARDO AND REBECCA

 I THINK IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SITE FOR THESE TWO

 HERE'S ELLA WITH HER TABLET AND THE LITTLE PATOOTSIE DOING FACETIME WITH A FRIEND

How terrible for you people in Texas.  We have all experienced power outages from time to time but few of us have experienced it as bad as you folks are having it.  Hoping you all can return to some semblance of normalcy as soon as possible.  You Texans are a tough bunch down there and you will pull it together. 

Needing to pick up a prescription at Walmart, Pheebs and I headed for Goderich under clear but cloudy skies.  Well, for about half-way that is.  Started snowing lightly and before we made it to Goderich the snow had increased and visibility was down to a quarter-mile and closing in fast.  

 WE WERE ABOUT HALF WAY TO GODERICH WHEN IT BEGAN TO SNOW

 WASN'T LONG AND THE WHITE STUFF REALLY BEGAN COMING DOWN

We found McDonalds okay and with coffee in hand headed for the harbor.  Visibility closed in to about half a block and I figured this was the heaviest snowfall I had seen all winter.

 PULLING OUT OF MACDONALDS WE HEAD FOR THE HARBOR

 WINDS COMING IN OFF THE LAKE REALLY WHIPPED THE SNOW AROUND

My prescription wasn't ready at Walmart so we headed the Jeep for home taking a secondary road instead of the highway.  The biggest danger on the highways in bad weather is not the elements, it's other drivers and their reactions to driving in bad weather.

 A SNOWY WALMART PARKING LOT

 ON OUR WAY HOME WE RAN INTO THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL

  MY TRUSTY NAVIGATOR KEEPS A CLOSE EYE ON THE ROAD AHEAD

 JUST KEEP IT BETWEEN THE TELEPHONE POLES AND THE TREES AL

 CLOSER TO BAYFIELD THE SNOWFALL EASED UP AND I SAW A COUPLE LADIES OUT WALKING

Needless to say, I spent time walking around behind my snow shovel again today.  And how nice to have a few sunny breaks between heavy snowfalls this afternoon.

 THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE GRAND BEND YACHT CLUB'S WEBCAM LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND YOU CAN SEE HOW FAR THE ICE IS OUT INTO THE LAKE

Thank you to everyone for your comments on my Friday post.  You are all special people in my life.

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A sixth grade class is doing some spelling drills. The teacher asks Tommy if he can spell 'before.' He stands up and says, "Before, B-E-P-H-O-R."  The teacher says, "No, that's wrong. Can anyone else spell before?"  Another little boy stands up and says, "Before, B-E-F-O-O-R."  Again the teacher says, "No, that's wrong." The teacher asks, "Little Johnny, can you spell 'before'?"  Little Johnny stands up and says, "Before, B-E-F-O-R-E."  "Excellent Johnny, now can you use it in a sentence?"  Little Johnny says, "That's easy. Two plus two be fore."

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Church sign: “Jesus Saves!” Safeway sign across the street: “Safeway saves you more!”

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Hired a handy man and gave him a list. When I got home, only items #1, 3, & 5 were done  Turns out, he only does odd jobs.  

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THEN FOR BOTH OF US LET ME SAY

Some come here for the words I write

Others come here for the pictures I take

I come here to feel alright

I come here to take a break

My keyboard is worn my fingers slow

My eyesight is waning but it is ahead I go

With doggy beside me and camera in hand

It is daily together we travel this land

If you read my blog and it passes some time

And I have entertained you with this rhyme

Then for both of us let me say

Thank you for giving me another day

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A policeman brought four boys before a judge.  "They were causing an awful lot of commotion at the zoo, your Honor," he said.  "Boys," said the judge sternly, "I never like to hear reports of juvenile delinquency.

Now I want each of you to tell me your name and what you were doing wrong."
"My name is George," said the first boy, "and I threw peanuts into the elephant pen."  "My name is Pete," said the second boy, "and I threw peanuts into the elephant pen."  "My name is Mike," said the third boy, "and I threw peanuts into the elephant pen."  "My name is Peanuts," said the fourth boy.

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Good news, the Lego store has reopened.  People are lined up for blocks!

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WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SPORTS AND POLITICS

 A FEW SNOW PICTURES FROM AROUND THE HOUSE THIS AFTERNOON

Richard's turn to drive this morning so our journey took us down through Grand Bend and out the other end east of there.  No weather problems and the roads were good.  So were the coffee and blueberry muffins.  Another refreshing couple of hours spent talking about stuff older guys talk about with the exception of sports and politics.  Noticeable aging processes and associated problems are usually high on our conversation list as are past and present RVing thoughts and matters.  Oh, and having been friends for over 40 years we always have lots of old memories from the past to dig up and hash over.

With temperatures up to an almost balmy 21F this afternoon I spent some time outside playing in the snow.  Aired up a few tires on the Jeep and started up the rig.  Moved some snow around, fed the birds again, and burned up some stuff in our burning barrel out back.  One more day closer to Spring or one more day closer to the beginning of next Winter.  All depends on how one wants to look at it I guess.  Both are true realities.

We watched the live-feed of the Mars rover Perseverance landing on the planet late this afternoon.  How nice to see and hear some uplifting good news for a change.  I wonder how long it will take all those brain-bent conspiracy theorists to come up with their usual 'fake news' and 'it was all done on a Hollywood movie set' crap!!!!  #**!!%

GROANER'S CORNER:(( My wife asked me today if I had seen the dog bowl...I said I didn’t know he could!

Q: Why aren't there any Wal-Marts in Afghanistan?
A: Because there's a Target on every corner.

Bill:Have ya heard about the engineer who invented a device for seeing through brick walls?  Bob: Ya, its called a window.

Two Hindu swamis were in conversation.  One said to the other, "How did you like my latest book, 'The Art of Levitation'?"  His companion replied, "Not much, it kept me up all night."

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SOME READERS MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THIS UFO/EXTRATERRESTRIAL POST

I was absolutely determined to start my post off with something, anything, other than the weather.  No easy feat for a Canadian I might add eh.  So, here goes........

 PHEEBS AND I HEADED TO GODERICH THIS MORNING FOR A SPIN DOWN AROUND THE HARBOR AND OUT TO THE COVE

It may be coincidental or there may be something to it but since I started reading and researching information on the whole UFO phenomenon these past bunch of months I have noticed a slight change in myself.  Despite it being the most depressing time of the year for me and my susceptibility to mood swings and at times regular bouts of depression, I have been free of all that lately.  It occurred to me not long ago while relaxing in my recliner on the verge of an afternoon Siesta, that what I have been reading has not only been uplifting and encouraging but educationally refreshing as well.  Things I thought I would find, I didn't and things I didn't expect to find, I did.  And somewhere in that mix, those bouts of depression have lifted.   So, I will continue to read and research all the information I can on the whole 'UFO and Beyond' phenomena despite being a natural skeptic at heart.  And despite some absolutely bizarre and far-out stuff, this inquisitive mind of mine will continue to search for realistic answers.  Here are a few more books on the subject I have recently completed and added to my growing list of information.  Most of them are 'down to earth' so to speak and some of them very 'spacey' and very challenging to one's own sense of known or perceived reality.

'From Adam To Omega': An Anatomy Of UFO Phenomena by A.R. Roberts...This is a 500-page book with some really heavy slogging along the way but I toughed it out and made it to the end.  Glad I did.  There is a lot of food for thought in this book and it's a real mind-bender.  It will no doubt upset the proverbial apple cart for many.

'UFOs': What Is The Government Really Covering Up? by A.R. Roberts.  Lots of unanswered questions in this book too.

'Sacred Encounters': Spiritual Awakenings by Dr. Janet Elizabeth Colli.  This book is no doubt very interesting but it was over my head and I bogged down and didn't finish it.  I'll maybe try it again after I get a few more brain cells glued together

'UFOs: Alien Abduction by Paul Stoner. Interesting reading and another thought provocative book.

'The Andreasson Affair' by Raymond E. Fowler.  The more I read the more interesting everything gets and that sure included this book.  If any of this is true it's mind-boggling.

'The Utah UFO Display' by Frank B. Salisbury.  A lot of sightings in the Uinta valley and this is where the Skinwalker Ranch is located.  That whole Skinwalker Ranch thing is another whole bag of unknown black hammers.

'UFOs And The Extraterrestrial Message' by Richard Lawrence.  Another mind-stretching read.

'Unseen Forces:' The Integration of Science, Reality and You by Dr. Robert Davis.  No doubt an interesting read but this book was over my head and I didn't make it through.  Doctors sometimes have a habit of talking in terms and using big confusing words.  Well, for people like me anyway.

'UFOs And Extraterrestrials Are As Real As The Nose On Your Face' by Lou Baldin.  Another mind-bender of a book and this one is written in a very different style than any of the others I have read.  It's done in a question-and-answer format and whether a hoax or the truth, it is definitely interesting if you can read it with an open mind.  

'Somewhere In The Skies' by Ryan Sprague.  In conjunction with the other books, this book doesn't leave much doubt as to what could very well be going on.  Notice I said 'could be' and not 'is'.

From Outer Space To You' by Howard Menger.  If only there was a fool-proof way of knowing what is fact, fiction, imagination, pure hoax, or reality.

'Letters Of Love And Light': Four Decades Of UFO Encounters, Experiences, and Sightings, by Katie Gibroski.  Based on Dr. Leo Sprinkles extensive files.  Can there be any doubt about the existence of UFOs??

'Breakthrough': Book 111 Of The Communion Series by Whitley Strieber.  This was the fourth book I read by this fellow and if he can be taken at his word then it is truly staggering what this supposed interaction between humans and 'visitors' could be about.  

UFOs: Myths, Conspiracies, and Realities, by Colonel John B. Alexander Ph.D.  This is a no-nonsense book by a top American military commander high up in the U.S. Government who takes the reader through an in-depth look at the Government's dealings with the whole UFO thing.  Not being a 'government oriented' type person it was a bit of a slog for me to get through but once again I'm glad I stuck with it.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking to cut through a lot of Government gobbely-gook and get to the confusing heart of what or hasn't been going on with Washington over the years.  There are a lot of answers and explanations in this book and I do believe the well-respected author is probably telling the truth.  One thing he said though kind of threw me a curve.  Having read Col. Philip Corso's book 'The Day After Roswell' about ten years ago I had a feeling Corso was telling the truth about what he saw and did, but Alexander, who knew Corso says, 'not so fast and here's why'!!  It was Corso's book that initially set the stage for my interest in the whole UFO phenomena.   

I am currently reading 'The Uninvited' by Nick Pope. Pope, at one time was head of the British Government's Ministry of Defense. It was Pope's responsibility, among other duties, to investigate UFO phenomena and to determine if they had any defense significance.  Pope, at first a UFO sceptic, changed his mind after investigating many reported UFO sightings.

So in my opinion, three things are much clearer to me now having read all these and other books.  1. Yes, there are UFOs.  2. Yes, there are Extraterrestrials.  3. Yes, there has been interaction between Humans and Extraterrestrials.  Having that out of the way I went much deeper into this whole subject matter looking for answers as to who or what is powering these UFOs, why are they here, and where do they come from?  If one can read these books and watch the TV documentaries, etc. with an open mind and a willingness to learn and explore things both inside and outside the box, one can find some very mind stimulating things.  I believe there is much, much, more to all this than our minds can comprehend and I've had that feeling for years now.  Up to this point, I have read approximately 35 books by a variety of authors on the subject, and in the words of Dr. Leo Sprinkles, "It is an exciting time for human knowledge and cosmic consciousness."  And of course, there is a bottom line to all this too.  What is believable and what is not??  And therein lies the rift.............

 I TOOK THIS PHOTO ON THE PLANET MARS TODAY:))

GROANER'S CORNER:(( Mother (to sleeping Little Johnny): "Little Johnny, wake up! It’s twenty to eight."  Johnny (half asleep): "In whose favor?"

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RYAN: Why were there only 18 letters in the alphabet?  

TIM: Tell me.

RYAN: Because E.T. flew off in a UFO, and the CIA chased after him!

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CHRIS: What did the astronaut cook in his skillet?
CHIP: Beats me.
CHRIS: Unidentified frying objects!

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THE SNOW JUST KEEPS PILING UP

 AND THE SNOWBANKS KEEP GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER

We woke up to a big dump of snow overnight.  Out on the highway later on my way to Clinton, north winds were causing ground drifting.  Roads had been plowed and visibility was about half a mile.  No problems making it to Clinton and I didn't see any overnight cars in the ditch.  I had an appointment with a Denturist at nine.

 CLEARED A PATH TO OUR CARPORT

 NORTHERLY WINDS BLOWING SNOW ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT

 MADE IT TO THE DENTURIST ON TIME

 I LIKE THE DECOR HERE

 All was fine coming home except for small snowdrifts in the westbound lane.  Saw a number of snowplows and snowblowers busily clearing roads and driveways.  Snow shovelers out too.

 HEADING HOME FOLLOWING A CAR THAT IS FOLLOWING A SNOW PLOW

I'm guessing we had about 12 inches of new snow overnight so I had my work cut out for me.  Instead of taking Pheebs for a Jeep ride I had myself busy with my well-used snow shovel.  Because of the depth of the new-fallen snow each shovel full was not only heavier but the snowbanks were getting higher.  Walking paths and the bird feeder area were priority so I concentrated on that for nearly half an hour before coming inside to rest up for round two.  Shortly before ten the clouds cleared enough for a big blast of sunshine to break through.  All the snow looked so pretty but I still had a lot of it to move around.  And nice to see some melting on the south side of the house where the Sun's rays were digging in.  Hmmmm, the Sun's digging in and I'm digging out.  How's about that for a conflict of interest eh.

 I SHOVEL MY PATHWAYS OUT AND MOTHER NATURE FILLS THEM BACK IN AGAIN

 I'VE BEEN BUSY KEEPING THE LITTLE BIRDIE GUYS FED IN THIS SNOWY COLD WEATHER

I DUMP BIG HANDFULLS OF BIRDSEED HERE 4 TIMES A DAY 

With sunshine beckoning, I cut my rest short and headed back outside to finish up my snow shoveling.  It soon clouded over and I was back inside again but at least my pathways were temporarily clear until the next snowfall which of course is predicted for later this afternoon.  Our day's high was 14F.

 A SHORT PERIOD OF SUNSHINE IN THE FRONT YARD

 I HAVEN'T SHOVELED  OUT THIS SECONDARY PATH TO THE ROAD YET

At the time of posting this tonight, it is again snowing a bit.  At this rate I figure it will be about the middle of August before all this white stuff melts.

 SUN'S GONE AND SNOW IS FALLING AGAIN:((

GROANER'S CORNER:(( What gender pronouns does a chocolate bar use?  Her/she.

You know you are getting old when the smile beside your bedside isn't that same smile. It's your teeth in a jam jar.

Officer: Do you know why I stopped you, son?
Driver: Cause you thought I had some doughnuts?

Teacher: I wish you'd pay a little attention
Pupil: I'm paying as little as i can, sir.

Teacher: Give me a sentence with the word "INDISPOSITION" in it.
Pupil: I always play center in baseball because I like playing "in dis position!"

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OUR PREDICTED MONDAY STORM NEVER HAPPENED BUT HERE IT COMES AGAIN

 WE HADN'T EXPECTED THIS SUNSHINE TODAY

We totally expected to wake up to howling winds and blowing snow this morning but it never happened.  The air was calm, we had a lite dusting of fluffy snow, and there were periods of sunshine beginning mid morning and lasting for most of the day.  Our live feed radar map showed snow around us in other areas but we were okay. 

 EARLY MONDAY MORNING

 LATER MONDAY MORNING

A routine Jeep ride through Bayfield then southeast out into the countryside.  Not a long drive and not a lot of photos.

 WON'T BE LONG BEFORE WE CAN WALK RIGHT ACROSS LAKE HURON ON THE ICE TO THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ON THE OTHER SIDE

 ALL THE CRANES ARE GONE FROM THE NEW BAYFIELD BRIDGE SITE EXCEPT THE BIGGEST ONE WHICH I ASSUME WILL BE THE ONE USED TO FINISH THE BRIDGE

 WE DO HAVE SOME RATHER EYE-CATCHING BARNS IN OUR AREA

Home again it was same old-same old.  I just followed my snow shovel around for a while and that was about it.  Of course, storm warnings are out again for tonight but I'm beginning to think the weather forecasters are sometimes too quick to shout, 'The Sky Is Falling, The Sky Is Falling'!!  But, I do understand their reasoning to err on the side of caution.  And, it really does look like we are in for a smasher tonight.  We'll see how things look in the morning.  Of course, I have an appointment in Clinton for 9 a.m.

 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH

 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH

 A NUTHATCH AND A JUNCO

GROANER'S CORNER:(( During a performance for the high school talent show at the local theater, a crack appeared in the stage floor. Subsequent acts managed to avoid the widening crack until little Freddy, juggling bowling pins, accidentally stepped through the hole up to his knee.  He apologized to the audience for his clumsiness. But a wisenheimer in the back of the theater shouted:  "Don't worry, Freddy! It's just a stage you're going through!"

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