LOOKING FOR SOME ‘COLOR’ ON A GRAY, DRAB, COLD DREARY DAY

TWO OF THREE LARGE LAKE FREIGHTERS IN GODERICH HARBOR

I’m not real good at doing nothing except on those few rare occasions where I really do feel like doing nothing.  I’m usually Okay on those days but not so Okay on days I feel like doing something but then there’s nothing.  Well nothing that interests me that is.  Of course there is generally always something to do for anyone at anytime but the trick is to turn that sometimes nothing into every day something.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.  It’s not the nothing that doesn’t work but the perception of nothing.  Didn’t work for me Sunday so I sat in the house looking out the window waiting for winter to go away so I could get outside and turn my nothingness into somethingness.  Patience Al patience………….

LARGE LAKE FREIGHTER NUMBER THREE

NO NOT A LAKE FREIGHTER OUT THERE BUT PART OF THE HARBOR’S OUTER BREAKWATER

DOES KINDA LOOK LIKE A BIG GHOST FREIGHTER THOUGH DOESN’T IT…..OR JUDGING FROM THAT LARGE CONNING TOWER MAYBE A RUSSIAN SUB HAS JUST SURFACED TO CHECK OUT THE HARBOR’S DEFENCES

NOT TO WORRY FOLKS, GODERICH KNOWS HOW TO TAKE CARE OF HERSELF AND IS WELL DEFENDED

With another drab, dull, and drearily cold looking morning going on outside I was fortunate in that I at least had somewhere to go even though it was to Goderich’s Maitland Valley Medical Center.  Before arriving there Pheebs and I cruised through McDonalds for a carrot muffin and a Senior coffee to go.  From there it was down to the harbor and beach area to see if we could find us some ‘color’ in the gray looking day.

From the harbor and beach areas it was back up to higher ground, through the town and over to the Medical Center.  Had a couple things to drop off with one of them being some blood which I was currently carrying inside me.  I’m always surprised at how there is no pain when they stick that needle in my arm compared to years ago.  Probably has something to do with newer technology needles compared to those big old dull Turkey basters they once used.

WE FOUND LOTS OF BLUES AND YELLOWS AND IN THIS PHOTO THERE IS EVEN A SMUDGE OF GREEN AND TOUCH OF RED IF YOU CAN FIND THEM

IT WAS THE COLORFUL AUTUMN LEAVES ON THIS TREE THAT CAUGHT MY EYE

With a fine snow in the air we headed straight on back to Bayfield.  Weather forecasters are predicting a major winter storm with lots of snow over the next couple days.  We of course have our fingers crossed the storm will swing south of us.

DIDN’T SEE ANY HARDY JOGGERS OUT ON THE LAKE SIDE BOARDWALK THIS MORNING

AND TO THINK PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY BE SWIMMING HERE IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS

IN THE PREVIOUS 2 PHOTOS WITH SEA GULLS FLYING IT WAS THAT FAR FREIGHTER THOSE GULLS WERE FLYING ALONGSIDE

Thanks to sharp eyed readers I have a few minor corrections regarding a couple things mentioned in my posts over the past few days.  First, I had said the large lake freighters in the Goderich harbor had wintered there.  Not so apparently as a reader informed me those freighters have been in and out of the harbor working all winter.  And I made a similar mistake when I referred to one of Bayfield’s fishing boats waiting for Spring’s better weather and water.  Again a reader corrects me there by saying the fishing boats, due to a warmer winter have been in operation all season.  Thank you readers:))

GROANER’S CORNER:(( Some tourists in the Chicago Museum of Natural History are marveling at the dinosaur bones. One of them asks the guard,“Can you tell me how old the dinosaur bones are?” The guard replies, “They are three million, four years, and six months old.”
“That's an awfully exact number,” says the tourist. “How do you know their age so precisely?” The guard answers, “Well, the dinosaur bones were three million years old when I started working here, and that was four and a half years ago!”

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“Cotton farming is a classic struggle of goods versus weevils.”

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God: "Whew, I just created a 24-hour period of alternating light and darkness on earth."
Angel: "Oh yeah? What are you going to do now?"
God: "I think I'll call it a day."

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Did you know drunken hunchbacks are in a perpetual stooper.

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During a fire at a convent, a group of nuns are trapped on the third floor. Thinking quickly, they took off their habits, tied them together and used them as a rope to climb down from the window.After safely reaching the ground, a reporter asks, “Weren’t you worried that the habits would have ripped as you were climbing down? They look old and worn.”“Of course not!” said one of the nuns. “Don’t you know how hard it is to break an old habit?”

NOT MUCH GOING ON TODAY FOLKS, JUST A FEW PHOTOS

SOON AS TEMPERATURES COME UP A BIT THIS THIN LAYER OF ICE ON THE BAYFIELD RIVER WILL BREAK UP AND MOVE OUT INTO THE LAKE
Not much going on today folks so I’ll leave you with a few Bayfield Harbor photos from our Saturday morning Jeep ride.


FISHING NETS PACKED IN BINS ON THE DOCK

WON’T BE LONG AND THIS LOCAL FISHING BOAT WILL BE SLIPPING OUT THE BAYFIELD HARBOR MOUTH TO RESUME IT’S LAKE HURON FISHING SEASON ONCE MORE


THAT ORANGE DIGGER MACHINE SITTING ON A FLOATING BARGE IS USED FOR DREDGING THE RIVER AND I BELIEVE IT ALSO PLAYS A PART IN SETTING UP MANY OF THE SAILBOAT DOCKS IN SPRING

THOSE RIVERSIDE CABINS CAN BE USED BY SUMMER SAILBOATERS

SAILBOATS WRAPPED AND STORED FOR THE WINTER WILL SOON ONCE AGAIN BE PLYING LAKE HURON WATERS


A NEWLY BUILT RAIN GARDEN AT PIONEER PARK AWAITS THE COMING OF SPRING
GROANER’S CORNER:(( A man is struck by a bus on a busy street in New York City. He lies dying on the sidewalk as a crowd of spectators gathers around. "A priest! Somebody get me a priest!" the man gasps. A policeman checks the crowd but finds no priest, no minister, no man of God of any kind. "A PRIEST, PLEASE!" the dying man says again. Then out of the crowd steps a little old Jewish man of at least eighty years of age."Mr. Policeman," says the man, "I'm not a priest. I'm not even a Catholic. But for fifty years now I'm living behind St. Mary's Catholic Church on Third Avenue, and every night I'm listening to the Catholic litany. Maybe I can be of some comfort to this man." The policeman agrees and brings the octogenarian over to the dying man. He kneels down, leans over the injured and says in a solemn voice: "B - 4. I - 19. N - 38. G - 54. O - 72."
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Eating greasy high cholesterol food gives me stage fright. I get butter fries in my stomach.

SUNSHINE AND SNOW SQUALLS ON A JEEP RIDE TO GRAND BEND AND BACK

GRAND BEND’S PIER IS COATED IN ICE

Checking the Grand Bend’s Yacht Club harbor web cam this morning I noticed there did not appear to be any snow in that neighboring village 18 miles south of us.  Apparently they had escaped Friday's snow squalls coming in off Lake Huron.  Figured that would be a good area for Pheebs and I to go have us a look around.

BEFORE HEADING TO GRAND BEND WE SWUNG DOWN AROUND BAYFIELD’S HARBOR

SOON LOCAL FISHING BOATS WILL BE DOCKED HERE

WON’T BE LONG UNTIL BAYFIELD’S MAIN STREET WILL BE THRONGED WITH MANY HAPPY TOURISTS FOR ANOTHER SUMMER’S SEASON

With temperatures hovering around 18F and strong northwesterly winds coming in off the lake we pointed Libby's nose southward and off we went.  Well wouldn't ya know it……..we ran right into a blowing snow streamer again about half way there.  The lure of a carrot muffin and a hot cup of Tim Hortons coffee in the Bend was too much for us to resist so we kept on going.  Besides, the blustery snow was not as bad as the previous day traveling to Goderich and back plus Pheebs especially likes the Grand Bend Horton's because she generally gets a Tim Bit there.  And this morning was no exception.

LAKE HURON WINDS ARE BLOWING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT

BLOWING SNOW DANCES EASTWARD ACROSS A BARREN FARMER’S FIELD

WIND TURBINES WERE IN OVERDRIVE

Grand Bend's main street leading down to the lake was totally deserted of course with nary a soul out in this freezing cold.  Large angry looking waves coming ashore over the pier crashed onto brown sand encrusted icy snow banks.  Managed a few photos from inside the Jeep.  No way was I getting out into those Arctic like howling winds.

DURING SUMMER MONTHS GRAND BEND IS PACKED WITH YOUNG FOLKS AND IT’S NOT UNUSUAL FOR TRAFFIC TO BE BUMPER TO BUMPER ALONG HERE BOTH HEADING FOR AND COMING FROM THE BEACH STRAIGHT AHEAD

THIS EATERY HAS BEEN ON GRAND BEND’S MAIN DRAG FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER

When in the Southwest for the winter it is the Yacht Club's web cams we always check to see how the weather is doing in these here parts.  There are actually 2 cams showing the river and harbor mouth areas.  Also there are 3 other town beach cams located atop a beach pavilion we also check sometimes as well.

ONE YACHT CLUB HARBOR CAM IS IN THE TOP WINDOW OF THAT LIGHTHOUSE WHILE THE SECOND ONE IS EITHER IN OR ON ONE OF THOSE BUILDINGS AT THE RIGHT

THE TOWNS THREE BEACH CAMS ARE LOCATED UNDER THE ROOF OF THAT TOWER

A BUILD UP OF ICE ON GRAND BEND’S PIER

With our carrot muffin all eaten up and a hot cup of coffee safely tucked away in my tummy we made our way back up the main street out of town and into the countryside.  Picked us up a gravely country road heading north & began our slow journey back home to Bayfield.  Sometimes we were driving in clear air with blue skies, green fields, and sunshine while other times we were being buffeted by gusting winds and blowing snow.  All photos today were taken from inside the Jeep and I never stepped out of the vehicle from the time we left home until I had Libby safely back into our carport.  It was about 11 a.m. with another two and a half hour Jeep ride under our belts.....well my belt anyway.

PHEEBS LIKES TO CRUISE ALONG WITH HER WINDOW DOWN SO I HAVE TO KEEP THE HEATER CRANKED UP SO I DON’T FREEZE UP

A FEW SMALL CREEKS ARE STILL RUNNING

WON’T BE LONG AND THE HURON COUNTY PLAYHOUSE WILL BE OPEN FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF FINE ENTERTAINMENT

A FEW FARM TRACTORS ANXIOUSY AWAITING SPRING’S WORK TO BEGIN

SAP FROM THESE BIG OLD SUGAR MAPLES  MAY SOON AGAIN BE DRIPPING INTO THESE PAILS

I spent the afternoon between my recliner in the living room and the computer chair in the sunroom.  Snoozes to be had and photos to edit.  We'll sure be glad when this cold snap comes to an end and that looks like maybe by the end of this coming week sometime.  Fingers crossed of course

GROANER'S CORNER:((  A police officer pulls over a car full of nuns. The officer says, “Sister, the speed limit on this highway is 55 mph. Why are you going so slow?”  Sister replies, “I saw a lot of signs that said 41, not 55.” The officer says, “Sister, that’s the name of the highway, not the speed limit.”  “Silly me,” the embarrassed nun says. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll be more careful.” But then the officer glances in the back seat where the other nuns are quaking with fear. He asks, “Excuse me, Sister, what’s wrong with your friends?”  Sister says, “Oh, we just got off Highway 101.”

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One morning the phone rang at 3:00 a.m. in Jeff's house. He picked up the phone and a woman asked, "Is this 555-1111?" "No, this is 555-1112." Jeff replied. "Oh, I'm so sorry for disturbing you." The woman said. "That's alright," Jeff said. "I had to get up to answer the phone anyway."

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I went online to become a private detective. It was a private detective school online, and I paid online. But then I never heard from them again. I thought to myself, I either got ripped off or this is my first case.