AND FOR THAT, I THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU:))

There was a coolness to this morning's brisk East wind but that didn't stop Pheebs from having her passenger side window down.  I had a little smattering of heat going on my side.  Subarus have separate side-by-side heating controls so that comes in handy.  I knew Pheebs wasn't up for a walk so we just motored around a few country blocks, snapped a few pics, and came home. 

 WE HAVE A VERY PASTORAL COUNTRYSIDE HERE IN SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO CANADA

Pine needles have begun to fall so needing to use up a little free energy, I raked up 3 wheelbarrow loads and forked them into the utility trailer.  Moved our blue gazing ball and heavy concrete base over to beside the fairy path.  Caught (or re-caught) three adult frogs in our front yard pond and transported them over (or back) to the Park's pond.  They will probably be back before sundown.  Kelly suggested I make up a little sign to place beside the road.  'Slow Down - Frog Crossing'.

 AREA FARMERS WERE BUSY THIS MORNING....BUT THEN AGAIN, AREN'T THEY ALWAYS BUSY

 IT LOOKS LIKE THIS MARSHMALLOW FARMER HAD A BUMPER CROP THIS YEAR

 LOOKS LIKE THIS FARMER HAS A GOOD SUPPLY OF STRAW BALES FOR THE WINTER

 SOME MIGHT SAY YOU CAN TAKE THE MEASURE OF A FARMER BY THE NUMBER OF SILOS HE HAS

In our RVing days, it was generally this time of year that we were really getting ramped up for our departure to the Great American Southwest.  I always liked to set our departure date for the third weekend in October hopefully before any bad weather set in.  Once on the road, we didn't dilly-dally anywhere and it was pedal to the metal to get as far south and west as we could.  We didn't want any nasty weather catching up with us plus it was the Southwest where we wanted to spend our time so we didn't stop to look at things along the way (or back).  I have no regrets about that and if we could go again we'd do the same thing.  It was the lure of the mountains and the beautiful desert landscapes we craved and wanted to spend all of our time being a part of.  I never considered it a winter vacation and instead I always looked forward to the complete change of lifestyle.  Just the two of us and our doggy guys boondocking for days and weeks on end out in the deserts and canyons of the southwest.  No people, no traffic, no noise, no problem.  Just the wind whispering through the Saguaros, the Palo Verde, and Mesquite trees.  The smell of the desert air after a rain.  Diamond like stars in the black velvety night sky stretching from horizon to horizon and big full Moons rising over mountain tops casting shadows across the desert floor.  Stunning firey red sunrises and sunsets.  Warm days and cool nights with no humidity in the air.  Deep canyons and long valleys with sweeping vistas for as far as the eye can see.  We always considered the Southwest our home away from home.  We even owned a house and property for a few years in Arizona and I think Kelly actually at one point acquired an Arizona driver's license in Wickenburg.  The sounds of Coyotes, Gambels Quail, Cactus Wrens, and my favorite, Curve Bill Thrashers.  Cool nights and warm days.  And of course, there were always our favorite haunts like Borrego Springs and Slab City in California.  Ajo, Why, Bisbee, Wickenberg, Quartzite, and Yuma, in Arizona.  Oh dear, I've gone and done it to myself again.  Now here I sit with another depressing case of the 'if onlys':((   

 A STOP ALONG THE WAY THIS MORNING

 SOMETIMES THE SCENERY GOES BY A LITTLE FASTER THAN OTHER TIMES

It has been a while since I last thanked all my faithful blog readers, commenters, and emailers for hanging in here all this time.  As I've said a dozen or more times before, if it wasn't for all your continuing support of this blog of mine, there simply wouldn't be a blog.  I draw my inspiration and blogging energy from you folks.  It is all you people who help me each day hold my world together and give me a sense of purpose.  And, for that, I thank each and every one of you:))

SILVER BIRCH LEAVES

Al's Music Box:)) Come And Get Your Love is a song by the American rock band Redbone. The song was originally released as a promo track under the name "Hail" and was later featured on their fifth album, Wovoka (1973), under its current name. The song was released as the album's first single the following year. Written and produced by band members Pat and Lolly Vegas, it is one of the band's most successful singles. It made them the first Native American band to reach the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reaching number five on April 13, 1974.  The song later appeared on many "greatest hits" albums released by the band, as well as on numerous compilation albums of the 1970s. The song features a prominent part for an electric sitar.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man in Topeka, Kansas decided to write a book about churches around the country. He started by flying to San Francisco and worked east from there. Going to a very large church, he began taking photographs and notes. He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall and was intrigued by a sign which read: "$10,000 a minute." Seeking out the Pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. The Pastor explained that the golden phone was, in fact, a direct line to Heaven and if he paid the price he could talk directly to God. The man thanked the Pastor and continued on his way. As he continued to visit churches in Seattle, San Diego, Chicago, Greensboro, Tampa and all around the United States, he found more phones with the same sign and got the same answer from each Pastor.  Finally, he arrived in Texas. Upon entering a church in Dallas, behold, he saw the usual golden telephone. But THIS time, the sign read: "Calls: 35 cents." Fascinated, he asked to talk to the Pastor.  "Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I have found this golden telephone. I have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God, but, in the other churches the cost was $10,000 a minute. Your sign reads 35 cents. Why?"  The Pastor, smiling benignly, replied, "Son, you're in Texas now... It's a local call."

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- Felt uncomfortable driving into the cemetery.  The GPS blurted out...'you have reached your final destination'.

- Brain Cells, hair cells, and skin cells...they all die constantly but those fat cells seem to have eternal live.

- Hard to believe I used to be 4 pounds 7 ounces.  I've really let myself go.

- Got me an emotional support pet.  It's a chicken.  It's crispy.  It also came with a biscuit.

- Super excited about a brand new week of hanging on by a thread.

- Walmart: You go in for cookies and yogurt and come out questioning the fate of the whole human race.

- You know you're getting older when it feels like the morning after but there was no night before.

- I promised myself I would do something different today.  So, I sat on the other end of the couch.

- 'What was that noise'?  'My shirt fell on the floor'.  'It sounded louder than that.'  'I was in it'.

- I just asked myself if I was crazy and we all said 'no'.

- Why do eggs come in a flimsy styrofoam carton when batteries come in a package only a chainsaw can open.

- If you want to make your Mom happy, clean something.  Anything!!

- I watched a documentary last night on marijuana.  That's probably how I'll watch all documentaries from now on.

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HURRICANE HELENE HAS CAUSED A BIG PROBLEM AT AUNT JEAN'S SUNNYSIDE VILLAGE

 SEEN IN OUR PARK THIS MORNING

I heard the first burst of gunfire at 7:28 this morning followed by a second volley 14 minutes later.  Another volley of shotguns at 7:52 and more after that.  All those volleys of gunfire lasted about two or three seconds apiece so I knew there had to be close to half a dozen shooters.  And then, with the patio door open, I heard the distant distressful sounds of terrified Canada Geese:((  I will say no more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AT LEAST THESE TWO CANADA GEESE ALONG THE SHORES OF LAKE HURON ESCAPED THE SHOOT-OUT THIS MORNING

After a short drive around the south end of our Park, Pheebs and I headed off to Goderich under cloudy skies.  We hadn't gone far before we had the windshield wipers going.  Fifteen minutes later we were in Goderich under big bright sunshiny skies.  Coffee to go at McD's and down to the harbor we went for a look see.  Following that, it was off to Walmart to drop off one prescription and pick up one.  Half an hour later we were home under cloudy skies again.  By the end of the day the sun was shining in a big blue sky.   

THE CARGO VESSEL PUNA AT GODERICH'S GRAIN TERMINAL

 THERE'S A LOT OF GIZMOS UP THERE

 A RELAXING SUNDAY MORNING OUT AT ROTARY COVE

 A BICYCLING BEACHCOMBER

 OKAY, THREE APPLES FOR YOU AND ONE FOR ME, RIGHT??

Talking to Aunt Jean last night she said the hurricane didn't have much effect where she was as it passed by quickly.  Wind and rain and that was about it.  But, she said it was the storm surge that did most of the damage to Sarasota.  And, it was that storm surge that has in a roundabout way caused an unexpected problem at Aunt Jean's Sunnyside Village.   West of downtown Sarasota north of Lido Key near St. Armands Circle stands an 18-story building on the causeway overlooking Sarasota Bay called the Plymouth Harbor Retirement Community  The first floor of this facility houses many Alzheimer's and Dementia patients.  Plymouth Harbor has an understanding with Jean's Sunnyside Village that whenever a hurricane threatens, the first-floor patients and staff at Plymouth Harbor, as a safety precaution, are bussed to Sunnyside.  When the hurricane has passed they are bussed back.  However, hurricane Helene's storm surge was so high it flooded out the whole first floor at Plymouth Harber.  So now, all those patients from there who are now at Sunnyside cannot go back.  To say it has created a HUGE problem at Sunnyside Village would be putting it mildly.  Jean didn't know how many people were there but a lot of changes have had to be made to accommodate everyone.  Hallways closed off. etc.  There's a lotta extra staff working a lot of overtime, a lot of inconveniences and crowding, and a lot of stress for everyone.  And, Jean hasn't heard of any solutions to the problem so far.  I'll be talking to Aunt Jean on our regular Friday night time so maybe some things will have been resolved by then.

Al's Music Box::)) Mr. Lonely is a song co-written and recorded by American singer Bobby Vinton, backed by Robert Mersey and his Orchestra.  Vinton began writing the song in the late 1950s, while serving in the Army.  The lyrics describe a soldier who is sent overseas and has no communication with his home. The singer laments his condition and wishes for someone to talk with.  The single of Vinton's recording was released just as the Vietnam War was escalating and many soldiers were experiencing a similar situation.  Vinton's version was noted for his emotional sobbing during the second verse.  Although he turned out to be Epic Records' best-selling artist of the 1960s, the record company initially did not display confidence in Vinton. This 1962 song was included on his first vocal album, Roses Are Red, but it was not released as a single at that time. Vinton wanted it to be the followup to his first hit, "Roses Are Red," but Epic's executives chose the very similar "Rain Rain Go Away" instead, giving "Mr. Lonely" to Buddy Greco, whom they were grooming as their next big superstar.  After Vinton heard Greco's version on the radio, the executives confessed to him that they felt he was more of a musician and songwriter than a singer. However, in the following months, Vinton's continued success as a vocalist made them reconsider their position.  Many months later, when Epic gave Vinton the choice of which song should be the twelfth and final selection for his greatest-hits album, he chose "Mr. Lonely".  Following its inclusion on the album, many radio disc jockeys started to play the track—particularly those who remembered Buddy Greco's version and how Vinton had been prevented from releasing it as a single.  With the song's newfound popularity came a rise in demand for Vinton's version to be released as a single. "Mr. Lonely" became one of Vinton's signature songs and a favorite with servicemen around the world. Epic subsequently built an entire album release around "Mr. Lonely" when it became a hit as a single.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A man, his wife, and his son from waaaay out in the mountains go to the "big city" to a major hotel. When they get into the lobby, they are directed to the front desk to check in. While the wife is takin' care of "the paper work," the man is looking all around at the amazing things they have. One that catches his eyes is a recess in the wall with a crack down the middle. Just then, an elderly woman walks up, pushes a button next to the recess, and the wall opens up to a small room! She walks in and the wall closes, while lights above the secret doors flash along the top. They begin flashing in the other direction, and moments later the wall opens up and a shapely young lady, vougly dressed, sachays out, walking by the man and his son whos eyes and dropped jaws follow her by.  The man looks back at the doors in the wall. "Boooyyy", says the man to his son... "Go get your mother!"

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- Buckwheat of the Little Rascals fame grew up, became a Muslim, and changed his name. He now goes by Kareem of Wheat.

- “The other day I held the door open for a clown. I thought it was a nice jester.”

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- Men are like fine wine...
They all start out like grapes, and it's our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something you'd like to have dinner with.

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A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. As her dad donned his tuxedo she warned, "Daddy, you shouldn’t wear that suit.”  “And why not, darling?” he asked.  “You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.”

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AND THIS TIME WITH A STERN SCOLDING TOO

 A FARMER'S LANE LEADS TO HIS FIELDS

Overnight winds brought in a slightly more Autumn-like cooler weather front.  But not cool enough to have Pheebs passenger side window up.  In fact, driving along slowly on the country roads we had the Moon roof open.  A really nice 'feeling good' Saturday morning.

 PHEEBS AND I STOPPED HERE FOR A LEG STRETCH

 HARVESTING BEANS CAN BE A DUSTY JOB

 WHEN THE FARMER FINISHES HIS BEAN FIELD THIS MACHINE IS POISED TO  WORK UP THE FIELD AND BEGIN PLANTING THE NEXT CROP

 'BEANS BEANS THE MUSICAL FRUIT'

 ANOTHER COMBINE WORKING ON THE BEAN HARVEST

 THESE FARM LADS ARE UP TO SOMETHING BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS

 A RELAXING SATURDAY MORNING

 LEADING A HORSE BACK TO THE BARN

A quiet afternoon with a little bit of puttering.  I noticed two larger frogs in our recently refurbished pond and I have no doubt they are two of the gang I carried down to the Park's pond earlier in the week.  Of those two I have already caught one and returned the little muggins back to the Park's pond again.  And this time with a stern scolding too.  

WE TOOK A DRIVE PAST A JUNKYARD

With temperatures on the rise again and the air feeling sticky, Pheebs and I didn't venture out for an afternoon walk.  Instead, I settled into my sunroom recliner with my fan blowing on me and opened my Kindle book.   Dr. Mark Pickstik's book, 'Soul Proof' was getting a little too heavy for me so I decided to once again switch to something liter-fair and entertaining.  I chose author Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Men'.  I was looking for an author with a similar writing style to Lucy Maude Montgomery.

DUTCH FARMS IN THE AREA ARE GENERALLY VERY WELL-KEPT

 THIS MORNING'S STIFF EAST WIND CAN BE SEEN FLUFFING UP THOSE BIG TREES

I will be talking to Aunt Jean tonight so in tomorrow's post, I will have her thoughts and adventures with Hurricane Helene a few days ago.     

Al's Music Box:)) The Boy From New York City is a song originally recorded by the American soul group The Ad Libs, released in 1964 as their first single. The song was produced by Jerry Leiver and Mike Stollererry and peaked at No. 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart week of February 27, 1965. Though the group continued to record other singles, they never repeated the chart success of "The Boy from New York City".   According to Artie Butler, the track was recorded at A&R Studios in New York, in three separate sessions. The first session was to lay down the rhythm section, then the next session was for the lead and backup vocals, with the last session being just for the horns.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A Pastor goes to the dentist for a set of false teeth. The first Sunday after he gets his new teeth, he talks for only eight minutes.  The second Sunday, he talks for only ten minutes.  The following Sunday, he talks for 2 hours and 48 minutes.  The congregation had to mob him to get him down from the pulpit and they asked him what happened.  The Pastor explains the first Sunday his gums hurt so bad he couldn't talk for more than 8 minutes.  The second Sunday his gums hurt too much to talk for more than 10 minutes.  But, the third Sunday, he put his wife's teeth in by mistake and he couldn't shut up...

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- Why can't towels tell jokes?  Because they have a dry sense of humor.

- I made a new 'to-do' list today but I can't remember who is to do it.

McNally was taking his first plane ride, flying over the Rocky Mountains. The stewardess handed him a piece of chewing gum. "It's to keep your ears from popping at high altitudes," she explains.  When the plane landed McNally rushed up to her. "Miss," he said, "I'm meetin' me wife right away. How do I get the gum out of me ears?"
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