LOOK UP MY FELLOW CANADIANS AND THANK YOUR LUCKY STARS

ROLLING HILLS AND DALES

For Pheebs and I on this overcast windy 50F morning our main destination was Goderich's Walmart Pharmacy.  Kelly's bladder infection has not cleared up.  Her Nurse Practitioner sent in a new and stronger prescription order to the Pharmacy late yesterday so Pheebs and I set off to pick that up.  Our usual coffee, quick swing down around the harbor, Walmart, and home.  I don't know how Kelly is dealing with so many health issues right now and still holding her own.  Some of those issues I do not put in the blog.

 THE ROSAIRE A DESGAGNES  IN PORT THIS MORNING DOCKED AT THE GODERICH GRAIN TERMINAL

With trouble sleeping Thursday night, it was a tired day today and I got about the square root of nothing accomplished.  I had one of my 'just didn't feel like it' days and hunkered down in the sunroom and buried my nose in a book.  Due to the cold wind, it was a short walk for Pheebs and I this afternoon. 

HEAVILY CLOUDED SKIES OVER THE COLD CHOPPY WATERS OF LAKE HURON

 ONE LONE CAMPER VAN PARKED OUT AT ROTARY COVE

I calmly walked into our sunroom Wednesday morning, unplugged the television beside my computer desk, and removed it from the room.  I will bring it back Sunday night to watch Skinwalker Ranch and then remove it again until the next Sunday night.  I am completely done with following news channels and I have never felt more relieved than right now that we live in this wonderful country of Canada. I wonder how many Canadians fully understand and appreciate how truly fortunate we are at this moment in time to be living here where we do.  Look up my fellow Canadians and thank your lucky stars....

 A GAGGLE OF GEESE WALKING WITH A PURPOSE

 RATHER THAN TIRE THEMSELVES OUT FLYING SOUTH I FIGURE THESE GUYS ARE HEADING OVER TO BOARD THE SHIP WHICH WILL TAKE THEM TO VENEZUELA

 LOOKS LIKE EVEN LARRY, CURLY, AND MOE ARE GOING TO BOARD THE SHIP AS WELL

Al's Music Box:)) Sunshine Superman is a song written and recorded by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. It was released as a single in the United States through Epic Records in July 1966.  The single was backed with "The Trip".  It has been described as "[one of the] classics of the, and as "the quintessential bright summer sing along.  "Sunshine Superman" reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States (Donovan's only single to do so) and subsequently became the title track of his third album.  A different mix of "The Trip" (without harmonica) is also included in the album. The single version of "Sunshine Superman" was edited down from its original four-and-a-half minutes to just over three, and this version was also used on the album; the full-length version made its debut on the Donovan's Greatest Hits LP in 1969.  Recorded on 19 December 1965, the song "has a claim to be the first psychedelic rock record ever recorded" according to The Guardian.  It was arranged by two jazz musicians, pianist John Cameron and Spike Heatley, who played double bass. John Paul Jones, who would also act as an arranger on some Donovan sessions for producer Mickie Most, played electric bass. Session guitarist Jimmy Page (The Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin) played lead guitar, employing an innovative use of the volume control on his guitar for the repeating figure he played during the verses. Cameron played a two-tier Morley harpsichord on the record. After the success of the song, Cameron would arrange (and play on) many tracks for Donovan and Most.  Billboard described the single as a "rockin' production ballad with an exciting, commercial sound". Cash Box described the song as a "funky, medium-paced, blues-soaked romancer about a lad who is determined to snare the gal of his dreams", and called it "impressive". Record World said it "has an incessant and irresistible mid-shuffle beat." Following the release of the hit song, the name "Sunshine Superman" became widely associated with Donovan himself, and was used as the title or part of the title of about six of his album releases and reissues (including several compilations and a live album as well as being used as the title track of his 1966 studio album).GROANER'S CORNER:(( You are driving in a car at a constant speed.  On your left side is a drop-off and on your right side is a fire engine traveling at the same speed as you.  In front of you is a galloping pig which is the same size as your car and you cannot overtake it. Behind you is a helicopter flying at ground level.  Both the giant pig and the helicopter are also traveling at the same speed as you.  What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?  Get off the children's merry-go-round, you're drunk.

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- I don't own a telescope, but it's something I'm thinking of looking into!

- “I have a split personality” said Bob, being frank.

- I asked my boss, "Can I get a couple of weeks off for Christmas?"  "It's May," he said.  I said, "Sorry. May I get a couple of weeks off for Christmas?"

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Summer vacation was over and the teacher asked Little Johnny about his family trip. "We visited my grandmother in Minneapolis, Minnesota."  The teacher asked, "Good, can you tell the class how you spell that?"  Little Johnny thought for a few seconds and said, "Actually, we went to Ohio."

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                            Al's Art Gallery

NICE MORNING DRIVE FOR RICHARD AND I AND THIS AFTERNOON PHEEBS AND I SET OUT TO FIND 'THE BENCH'

 MOST OF AUTUMN'S LEAVES ARE NOW ON THE FOREST FLOOR

Morning sunshine through the pines is always a welcome way to start any day.  It was just me in the Subaru this morning first taking a few pics in the Park before heading out out into the Autumn countryside.

 OUR MORNING VIEW OUT OUR EAST-FACING  LIVING ROOM WINDOW

 A COUPLE 'GENERAL COACH' EMPLOYEES WORKING ON THE NEW HOUSE

THIS GIVES MEANING TO THE PHRASE 'UP ON BLOCKS'

 A RESIDENT'S COLORFUL FRONT YARD

 THIS IS THE PARK'S SHOP AND THAT GREEN MOSSMAGATOR IS THE PARK'S ROAD GRADER

 JUST OUTSIDE THE PARK, THIS ONTARIO POWER CREW IS WORKING ON A POWER LINE THAT I'M HOPING MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM WITH OUR POWER FLICKING OFF AND ON ALL THE TIME

 I ALWAYS ENJOY SEEING THESE TWO LLAMAS WHO LIVE ON A FARM JUST OUTSIDE OUR PARK

I picked up my good buddy Richard and we headed to Bayfield's Tim Hortons right off to pick up a couple coffees and blueberry muffins.  Our travels this morning took us south down the Bronson Line and through Dashwood before turning west and making our way over to Grand Bend where we came into town from the East and headed straight down the main street to the beach area.  Lots of old memories here from back in the early and mid-sixties.  Slipped back east out of Grand Bend then turned North and slowly made our way along a few dusty backroads in the direction of Bayfield.  Another excellent two hours of in-depth meaningful conversation.

 A COUPLE PHOTOS FROM ALONGSIDE RICHARD AND GAYLES DRIVEWAY IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

Home again, the beautiful sunny day just continued and continued.  I didn't get a lot done outside but I felt okay about that.  Got some reading in plus a short snooze before Pheebs and I headed out the door for an afternoon walk.

 THIS IS THE FIRST GREAT BLUE HERON I'VE SEEN ON THE PARK'S POND THIS YEAR

 ALONG THE BANKS OF THE POND

Last week, Kelly and I were up in the Park's hardwood bush looking for 'a bench' made by a Park resident (Gary) who also made the 'Rest-a-bit' bench by the Park's pond and a couple others.  Park owner Adam had taken one of Gary's well-made benches and placed it somewhere in the Park but didn't say where.  Remember, it's well over a hundred acres here.  Adam took a picture of the bench in its location, then placed the photo into our Bayfield Pines Facebook page saying that whoever finds the bench's location wins a prize.  That was the bench Kelly and I were looking for but we were way off.  When we first moved here 22 years ago and while out for our morning walks we had found an old bench at the top of a steep ravine leading down to the Bayfield River.  We, with our 3 dogs Max, Checkers, and little Cora would sometimes stop and have a sit down on that bench.  When we saw the photo in the Bayfield Pines Facebook page we figured right away where that new bench was located.  Seemed logical that Adam would have replaced that old wooden bench with the new one.  We figured wrong of course but we did have a great hour tramping around through the hardwood forest looking for it.  After a resident (Nancy) finally found the bench, Adam told me a few days ago where it was located.  So, this afternoon Pheebs and I were on a mission to find it.  And, find it we did.  It's located overlooking a picturesque ravine about halfway between our house and the hardwood forest.  Adam is in the process of making a new forest trail through this previously inaccessible area.  Walking along the top of that ravine this afternoon with Autumn's late afternoon sunlight slipping through the trees and a little creek meandering along below, it was easy to see how nice this new trail will be with its clumps of Silver Birch trees along the way.  It's reassuring to have Park owners Adam and his wife Sarah in tune with enhancing the Park's natural beauty and making the forest trails more easily accessible to residents. The majority of folks in here are Seniors and for many it's not as easy to get around anymore so a number of people have quiet golf carts.  Imagine how nice it would be for folks who have lost their mobility or can't walk far anymore, to be able to get out into the beauty of nature along forest pathways wide enough to accommodate a golf cart.  Just a thought of course.  But, just golf carts.  No noisy ATV's, dirt bikes, Fuel A dragsters, dune buggies, monster trucks, Harley-Davidsons, or Grand Prix race cars!!  Well, ya know what Senior are like eh...................

 LOOK CAREFULLY AND YOU TOO SHALL SEE THE BENCH

 THE SHADOW COWBOY FINDS THE BENCH

 PHEEBS BY THE BENCH

 SITTING ON THE BENCH ON THIS MIGHTY FINE AUTUMN AFTERNOON

 VIEW TO THE RIGHT OF THE BENCH

 VIEW ACROSS THE RAVINE FROM THE BENCH

I'm about halfway through my latest book entitled, I Know An Old Lady by author Margaret Standafer and I'm really enjoying it.  One of the things that makes a book enjoyable for me is a book that doesn't lose me with way too many characters and a multitude of plot twists.  It's fine for folks with excellent memories and most good brains who can keep track of all the characters, twists, and turns but I am not one of those people.  I have to intentionally bare down on what I'm reading because it's easy for me to be reading 3 pages past where I was and have no recollection of what just happened 3 pages ago or where I'd been.  I didn't get far in Louisa May Alcott's book, Little Men a month ago because there were just too many little men characters in the book for me to remember all their names and who was who, who was doing what and why to whom and whom was doing what and when and where.  No doubt a good book, but not so good for me and my cheddar cheese air-filled brain, copious amounts of cobwebs, and thick as a brick mentality at times.  But this book, 'I Know An Old Lady' works for me because I'm not swamped by a multitude of characters and speed bump plot twists.  For me it's a KISS book. (Keep It Simple Stupid)  Also, for me, this book has shades of the movie Stand By Me (great movie by the way) because of its main cast of characters.....teenage boys, a mystery concerning death, and an old woman that their curiosity becomes involved in and obsessed by.

 THIS OLD ROLE OF FENCING WIRE IS ABOUT 50' SOUTH OF THE BENCH AND MARKS THE LOCATION WHERE AN OLD DUMP WAS LOCATED  BEFORE KELLY AND I MOVED HERE

DOWN THERE IN THAT HOLLOW UNDER ALL THE LEAVES AND GRASS ARE BURIED MANY THINGS TOSSED OUT BY PARK RESIDENTS YEARS AND YEARS AGO....KELLY AND I USED TO CURIOUSLY ROOT THROUGH THERE YEARS AGO

 THIS AREA BEFORE WAS HEAVILY WOODED AND IMPASSABLE BUT NOW YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE NEW TRAIL WILL BE

 CLUMPS OF NICE SILVER BIRCH TREES BETWEEN THE RAVINE AND THE TRAIL

 LOOKING ACROSS FROM THE WEST SIDE OF THE RAVINE TO THE EAST SIDE AS THE LATE AFTERNOON SUN SPLASHES INTO THE RAVINES DEEP SHADOWS

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 AT THE BOTTOM OF THAT RAVINE A CREEK TRICKLES SOUTH TO THE BAYFIELD RIVER, THEN WEST  INTO LAKE HURON, AND MAKES ITS WAY SOUTH TO LAKE ERIE, EAST TO NIAGARA FALLS WHERE IT GOES FOR A TUMBLE INTO LAKE ONTARIO AND THEN NORTHEAST INTO THE SAINT LAWRENCE RIVER FOR ITS LONG JOURNEY OUT INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.......IT MAY EVEN ONE DAY TICKLE THE SHORES OF ENGLAND, SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, GREENLAND, HAWAII, AND THE FROZEN SHORES OF THE ARCTIC OCEAN....TRAVEL ON LITTLE CREEK, DESTINY IS YOURS

Al's Music Box:))City Of New Orleans by Arlo Guthrie is a country folk song written by Steve Goodman (and first recorded for Goodman's self-titled 1971 album, describing a train ride from Chicago to New Orleans on the Illinois Central Railroad's 'City of New Orleans' in bittersweet and nostalgic terms.  Goodman got the idea while traveling on the Illinois Central line for a visit to his wife's family. The song has been recorded by numerous artists in the United States, including two major hit versions: first by Arlo Guthrie in 1972, and later by Willie Nelson in 1984. In Europe, the melody has most often been used for original lyrics rather than translations of Goodman's.  An article in the September 2017 issue of Trains magazine chronicles the writing and recording of the song and includes a biographical sketch of Steve Goodman.  While at the Quiet Knight bar in Chicago, Goodman saw Arlo Guthrie, and asked to be allowed to play a song for him. Guthrie grudgingly agreed, on the condition that if Goodman bought him a beer, Guthrie would listen to him play for as long as it took to drink the beer.  Goodman played "City of New Orleans", which Guthrie liked enough that he asked to record it. The song was a hit for Guthrie on his 1972 album Hobo's Lullaby, reaching #4 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart and #18 on the Hot 100; it would prove to be Guthrie's only top-40 hit and one of only two he would have on the Hot 100 (the other was a severely shortened and rearranged version of his magnum opus, "Alice's Restaurant", which hit #97). In New Zealand, "City of New Orleans" spent two weeks at number one, charting throughout the winter of 1973.

GROANER'S CORNER:(( A French man nearly got away with stealing a number of paintings from the Louvre.  However, after planning the robbery and getting in and out and past security, he was captured only three blocks away when his Econoline ran out of gas. When asked how he could mastermind such a crime and then make such an obvious error, he replied, “I had no Monet to buy Degas to make the Van Gogh.”

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- My wife asked me if I could clear the kitchen table.  I had to get a running start, but I made it!

- People with narrow minds usually have broad tongues.

- Perhaps his whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

- Don't be afraid of a few extra pounds. Fat people are harder to kidnap.

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A monastery decided to start a fish and chips store. When the store opened, a client comes in, and asks one of the clerics: are you the fish fryer? Oh, no, the cleric answers, I'm the chip monk!

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                          Al's Art Gallery