Thursday, May 13, 2010

ANOTHER LOOOOONG COLD RAINY DAY:((

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THIS LITTLE FARM BOY IS BACK ON HIS SWING FOR ANOTHER SEASON

It's been another loooooong cold & wet wind driven rainy day again.  Not nice!!

Had a couple possible ID's on yesterday's unknown brown bird in our front yard.  A female Junco or a female Cowbird?  While at the computer this morning I saw a male Cowbird land on the nearest feeder.  He was soon joined by the unknown brown bird & moments later they both flew off up into the trees together so I'm guessing that JUDY is spot on with her identification of a female Cowbird.  Kelly spotted a blue looking bird in one of the shrubs this morning & later I was able to get a few pics of it on the ground under the feeders.  The closest bird we could find in our book that 'sort of' resembled this little fellow was an Eastern Bluebird so once again we'll have to wait for our knowledgeable bird people's opinion.

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INDIGO BUNTING

Had to slip into the small town of Clinton this morning which is only 10 minute drive for us to pick up a few groceries.  On the way back it was raining pretty good so I was surprised to come upon a long line of maybe a couple hundred high school kids walking west along the shoulder of the road.  Must have been some kind of organized walk going on.  Maybe a walk for cancer or something.  I had the heater on in the van but couldn't help but notice a lot of these walking kids were in shorts with clear plastic bags pulled over their upper bodies as protection from the cold rain.  Aw yes, those difficult teen age years eh!!  Looking back, I think that era bring back some of my best, & poorest memories.

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EITHER A LOT OF KIDS GOT KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL TODAY OR THEY ARE WALKING FOR A 'CAUSE' OF SOME SORT

These recent long days of bad weather nothingness sure have been mentally difficult to positively navigate through.  I'm still hoping to pull a rabbit out of the hat & get myself motivated & interested in something worthwhile & challenging.  I just may have to take up basket weaving after all....... Oh, the humility of it all.

DSC_7327SQUIRREL SHENANIGANS IN A SMALL CEDAR TREE THIS MORNING >>>>

GROANER'S CORNER:((

George Burns once said,

"The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending........and to have the two as close together as possible"   (Amen to that for sure!!!!!!!!!!)

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

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

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

BLOGS, BLOGGERS, & BLOGWOBBLES

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I am short on photos for today so am including pics from Bayfield's Vintage Car Show last summer.

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Seems like there has been a fair bit of talk this past week or so about blogs, bloggers, & blog sites.  Pros & cons, thoughts, ideas, & concerns.  Egos have been mentioned, privacy issues discussed, & maybe some feelings stepped on.  Don't ya just love it when we all get a good old case of blogwobbles going on:))

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Let me put the bottom line first.....it all boils down once again to each person's preference of what they want on their blog, how they want it to look, & what they want it to say.  When I went looking for a simple definition of a blog I ran into a long confusion of explanations but did find one simple enough for me to understand which said.............

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(Quote)" A blog is a personal diary. A daily pulpit. A collaborative space. A political soapbox. A breaking-news outlet. A collection of links. Your own private thoughts. Memos to the world.  Your blog is whatever you want it to be. There are millions of them, in all shapes and sizes, and there are no real rules.  In simple terms, a blog is a web site, where you write stuff on an ongoing basis. New stuff shows up at the top, so your visitors can read what's new. Then they comment on it or link to it or email you. Or not.  Since Blogger was launched in 1999, blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others." (Unquote)

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I generally try to keep an open mind about my blog & keep an ear to the ground to detect any unfavorable rumblings coming from either within the blog or from without.  Whenever someone questions something about the blog I always take it to heart & pour a lot of thought into what has been said.  Have I missed something, have I crossed a line somewhere, have I offended someone, have I stepped on somebody's toes, have my opinions alienated some people??  Unfortunately, I can answer 'yes' to all those questions but it is those very things that make my blog distinctively mine.  Yes, mistakes have been made, but with those mistakes have come progress, understanding, communication, & amazingly enough, a few new friendships to boot.

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The recent concerns over an RV site called, RV There Yet led into comments about egos & who's blog is it anyway!!  Because a blogger wants exclusive rights to his/her blog & it's contents, does that suggest they have an ego problem.  No, I think not.   Is it an ego thing because bloggers put stat counters on their blogs to see how many people visit the site. No, I think not.  And is adding 'Blog Followers' a self centered thing too.  No, I think not.  Check out  RETIRED ROD'S blog, he just added the 'Follower's gadget today & he's been a daily blogger for a long time now.  Y'all might want to go over there & check out Rod's new & quickly growing 'Followers' list:))  I like JERRY'S comment that says, "We are amazed that we have 71 followers, and I do like to mention any new ones, simply to show them appreciation for joining us. As far as number of hits goes, I don't have a counter, but it would be interesting to know. Egotistical? No, but comments are to a blogger what applause is to a singer or an actor, laughter to a comic -- that's the big reward, the only reward of blogging -- a little response from someone who found it interesting, or even found a typo and thought it worthwhile to point it out."  And MOTTY'S comment this morning saying, "And Jerry/Suzy - I think you said it right. If we did not care about readers, we could write a journal on our hard drive on word, why even bother publishing it on the web. It is the interaction that creates the dynamics and excitement of blogging.  

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I often question things on my own blog & that all too often leads to doubting blogwobbles.  Being a person of change I am always thinking about changing this or changing that but I have found through comments & emails from readers that they are satisfied with my blog exactly the way it is.  I waiver & wobble sometimes as whether to keep it going but am always encouraged by readers comments & emails to keep at it. 

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I have a visible stat counter on the blog which incidentally tells me that as of right now we have had 123,540 hits on our site.  Is it my ego that displays that or is it just something that my little insecure self feels a tad proud of.  Should I hide those numbers.  No, I think not.  I, as well as other bloggers put a lot of time & effort into these blogs & the fact that people actually are interested in mine or others efforts is not something I feel should just be lightly swept under the carpet.  And I feel the same way about the 'Blog Follower' application.  Would we all like to see more followers & readers?  Of course we would.  Do we appreciate the blog comments from people?  Of course we do.  These blogs are put together by people who care about other people.  If they didn't care they could just write a simple diary of their daily events, keep it to themselves, & stuff it under their pillow at night.  No sharing.....no caring.  Lots more to be said on this topic but that's enough out of Mr. Blabberfingers again tonight....................................:))

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It was with sadness today that I read about a phone call coming in the early hours of Wednesday morning to a fellow RV couple informing them that their son had just died.  It is the second son they have lost.  A very sad time for Mike & his family at MIKE & PAT'S TRAVELS

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Welcome aboard to our latest blog follower Laura who host's her own forum, Nicest Seniors in Cyberspace.  Laura is also on ZOOMERS & you can find her here at home currently building a new website... LAURA'S PLACE IN CYBERSPACE  

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For more pics of these vintage cars go to our Picasa Web Album at.... VINTAGE CARS IN CLANGREGOR SQUARE....BAYFIELD, ONTARIO CANADA

Judy from TRAVEL'S WITH EMMA identified yesterday's blog bird as a Sandpiper.  I have another bird for today's blog that is at our feeders quite a bit but has no colorful tell tale markings.  Just seems to be a Plain Jane brown bird.  Ok Judy, can you help us with this little fellow? 

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TODAY'S LITTLE BROWN MYSTERY BIRD

Pepper Anne from LITTLE HOUSE ON WHEELS blogs today about the Dalton Gang's final demise in Coffeeville Kansas. 

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A note to Janie & John who left a comment on last night's blog.  The saying, "Tourists see the world, traveler's experience it," at the end of our blog is not an original saying of mine.  I plucked it off someone else's blog awhile back.  It was not signed with anyone's name so I felt free to use it.  My original line is at the very bottom of our blog & I have signed my name to it.  Thanks for the comment guys & all the best in your new full timing adventures & yep, I sure know what you mean by you saying, "some of our friends don't know why we would want to do that."

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GROANER'S CORNER:((  A man and a woman were having dinner in a fine restaurant.  Their waitress, taking another order at a table a few paces away noticed that the man was slowly sliding down his chair and under the table, with the woman acting unconcerned.  The waitress watched as the man slid all the way down his chair and out of sight under the table. Still, the woman dining across from him appeared calm and unruffled, apparently unaware that her dining companion had disappeared.  After the waitress finished taking the order, she came over to the table and said to the woman, 'Pardon me, ma'am, but I think your husband just slid under the table.'  The woman calmly looked up at her and replied firmly, 'No he didn't.  He just walked in the door.'

(There are some blog terms further down)

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

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

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And, as if this blog wasn't already long enough here are a few 'blog terms' that go along with today's subject...........................

Blogosphere – the collective online world of blogs and bloggers

Commenter – a person who leaves comments on a blog

Comment Spam – comments posted to a blog that are blatantly commercial in nature and/or made for the sole purpose of gaining a link

Spambots – automated programs that post comment spam to unprotected blogs

Trackback – a system that alerts another blogger (by means of a ping) when you link to them

Ping – to automatically send a small packet of data out to actuate something, usually a trackback

Blog Roll – a collection of links on a blog, pointing to other blogs – it usually contains the blogger’s recommendations of other blogs to read

Blogstipation – writer’s block for bloggers

Flame – a hostile attack, often of a personal nature, made using a blog

Sock Puppet – a fake persona used by a blogger to defend him or herself online and/or attack critics

Vlog – a video blog. Used as a verb, it’s vlogging. A vlogger is one who blogs by video

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

MISERABLE WEATHER, WHAT ELSE CAN I SAY:((

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THE PEOPLE HOUSE VIEW FROM A BIRD ON ONE OF THE FEEDERS

We have ourselves a totally cold wet miserable day going on here & it sure is putting a damper on what could have been a nice spring so far.  Even the sunny days lately just haven't had any heat in the air.  I'm still picking up downed branches from the big winds a few days ago.  OK, that's enough for Al's Canadian weather report again!!

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THIS IS THE COMPLETION OF POPPA GOOSE'S LANDING YESTERDAY...NOTE THE TROUGH OF WATER HE PLOWED OUT BEHIND HIM

Thanks to Judy & Emma along with my cousin Norma & husband Jim for confirming yesterday's front yard bird as a Brown Thrasher.  I cracked off a couple quick pics two mornings ago of another bird over in the pond & I'm guessing it might be a Common Snipe according to my little 'Golden' bird book.

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A SOLITARY SANDPIPER (click to enlarge)

Another broken bird feeder on the ground this morning so I suspect we have a raccoon coming in the night now.  I generally hang the feeders on 'S' hooks but the coons just yank on the fishing line & jerk the feeders until they come off the hooks so today I replaced those hooks with something called 'quick links' & that should put an end to that.  However, knowing the animal world as well as I do it is for sure they will figure it out & outsmart me as usual. 

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INLINE 'S' HOOK              QUICK LINK

Just read in Jerry's blog, OUR LIFE ON WHEELS, late this afternoon that his Doctor has just scheduled him for a complete right knee replacement on June 2nd.  He has been wearing a brace & putting up with a painful knee for quite awhile now.  That only leaves him & Suzy three weeks to bake up an enormous big batch of recuperative cowboy cookies for post op care. With a new knee Jerry might just sweep away all competition at the solo 'Bouncing Benson Butt Boogaloo & Break Dance' contest this summer too.

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CAN YOU SEE THE CLOUD GOOSE/ROADRUNNER HEADING ACROSS THE SKY FROM RIGHT TO LEFT

While Kelly was talking on the phone tonight the line went dead.  2nd extension went dead as well so we suspect an outdoor problem. The phone tech is coming in the morning.  No charge if a problem is found outdoors but $85 if the problem is found indoors!!

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Ok, gonna keep it short tonight.  The way I figure it, the less time you spend here the more time you can spend on someone else's blog.   And just minutes before publishing the blog tonight I got off a quick, but poor shot of this furry bird feed raiding culprit outside the window quickly disappearing down the tree & into the night.

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GROANER'S CORNER:((  What are seniors citizens worth? They are worth a fortune, with all the silver in their hair, gold in their teeth, stones in their kidneys and lead in their feet.

As for myself, I have become a little older since I saw you last and a few changes have come into my life since then. Frankly, I have become quite a frivolous old gal. I am seeing five gentlemen every day. As soon as I wake up, Will Power helps me get out of bed. I immediately go to see John. After that Charlie Horse comes along, and he really takes a lot of my time and attention.  When he leaves, Arthur Ritis shows up and stays for the rest of the day. However, he doesn't like to stay in one place very long, so he just takes me from joint to joint. Finally after such a busy tiring day, I'm really glad to be able to go to bed with Ben Gay. What a life!!

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

OUR BLOGGER WEBSITE http://thebayfieldbunch.com/

OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/

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