GRACKLE Rain came in the night knocking out our power just long enough to have to reprogram all the timers yet again this morning but at least it brought slightly warmer temperatures along with it.  About time!!  A rainy drive into Bayfield for Pheebs and I to pick up a couple more bags of birdseed at the Porter's Hill Wild Birdseed Company  I thought the Grackles would have backed off our bird feeders by now, but no....the feeders are still being Grackleized.  The problem also is, the Grackles scare away all the smaller songbirds that are here now and i ..read more

Another bright sunny day and another cold windy morning with below freezing temps overnight.  A short Jeep ride for Pheebs and I and we were home again.  With the wind blocked from getting into our Park by the pine trees, I spent an hour or so raking up a couple wheelbarrow loads of small branches and pine needles in our backyard.  I also raked another couple of wheelbarrow loads of pine needles and leaves on the little path across the road leading through of copse of trees to the Park's pond.    SPRING IS TAKING ITS TIME THIS YEAR BUT IT'S COMING ..read more

 A BUMBLE BEE IN OUR RHODODENDRON A big bright sunny morning, but once again we woke up to two degrees below the freezing mark.  This persistent cold air every day is really getting annoying!!!!  And, here we are, less than a week away from May.  CEDAR BRANCHES AT THE END OF OUR DRIVEWAY  PRIMROSE IN OUR FRONT FLOWERBED OUR FRONT YARD WHITE MAGNOLIA IS IN BLOOM It was Richard's turn to drive so he picked me up at 9:30 and we headed off on our semi-monthly Thursday morning country road coffee run.  Our travels this morning too ..read more

 TWO GOSLINGS ON OUR PARK'S POND It was an early start for just me in the Jeep this morning.  With an oil change booked for 8 a.m. at Napa True-Center AutoPro I was on the road shortly after 7:30 making my way to Goderich in a wind-driven freezing cold drizzle.  Why that miserable drizzle didn't turn to snow I don't know.  I was glad to get home later to a warm toasty house and I had no intentions of venturing outside.  However......  LOCAL FARMERS ARE BEGINNING TO GET ON THE LAND Skies began clearing early this afternoon so despite a ..read more

With raindrops on the windshield, I knew we wouldn't be doing a country road walk so Pheebs and I slipped into and around Bayfield this morning.  Not much going on and with rain increasing on the windshield we headed for home and stayed in for the rest of the day.    I THINK ROBINSON CRUSOE HIMSELF MUST HAVE WASHED ASHORE ON BAYFIELD'S BEACH OVERNIGHT  I'M GUESSING THE RIVER BARGE AND IT'S ORANGE MACHINE HAVE FINISHED INSTALLING ALL THE BOAT DOCK POSTS INTO THE RIVER BED  WORK CONTINUES INSTALLING THE WOODEN BOAT DOCKS IT WON'T BE ..read more

 A COLD MONDAY MORNING AT THE SOUTH END OF OUR PARK Sunshine, blue skies, cold air, and icy winds.  It's always colder here than further inland at this time of year along the frigid shores of Lake Huron.  We started our morning off 2 degrees below freezing.    SOMETHING GOING ON IN OUR PARK THIS MORNING  SOME KIND OF MACHINE HAS RECENTLY CHURNED UP OUR COUNTRY WALKING ROAD  PHEEBS AND I SOON HAD TO DODGE A ROAD GRADER ON OUR WALK DUE TO A NAVIGATIONAL ERROR, THIS RUSSIAN SUBMARINE HAS MISTAKENLY SURFACED IN A H ..read more

MY LITTLE PAL Our furry little overnight house guest slept quietly all night beside my living room recliner where I slept all night quietly as well.  Of course, it is my living room recliner where I sleep every night.  Safely in his large plastic container, the little guy was awake about 7:30 and right at his birdseed breakfast I had fixed up for him.  Water included.  Figured I'd take Pheebs for a Jeep ride first and then upon our return I'd take the little squirrel out to our front yard where I found him yesterday and re-introduce him to his true environment and ..read more

With temps barely above freezing and an icy wind blowing under a cold gray sky it was an effort to get myself outside.  But, step outside Pheebs and I did.  We fired up the Jeep and took a short drive down to the end of Bayfield River Road, made a U-turn, and headed straight back home.  Shortly before 11 a.m. we had traces of snow in the air.  So far, it has been a slow Spring to warm up.  COLD FRESH COUNTRY AIR THIS MORNING Knowing today could be a cold gray day I took a few extra photos Friday afternoon when Pheebs and I were out for a walk.  It is tho ..read more

Rain came in the night and stayed all morning.  With that rain falling and the recent hike in gas prices I seriously considered leaving the gas-guzzling Jeep in the carport.  Surprisingly, Pheebs must have been thinking the same thing because she refused to even set foot out the door.  Me, not being as smart as Pheebs, went for a Jeep ride anyway into and around Bayfield before returning home half an hour later.  A RAINY START TO OUR DAY SOGGY SAILBOATS WAITING FOR SUNNY SAILING DAYS AHEAD  SMALL PORTHOLES  PERHAPS A FAMILY BOAT ..read more

 ONE OF MY SUNSET PHOTOS FROM A DOZEN YEARS AGO OR SO...I TOOK THIS ALONG THE BEACH AT BAYFIELD'S DEERPARK LODGE A few days ago while going through one of her drawers, Kelly came across a 'flash drive' that she remembered storing some music and pictures on years ago in our RV traveling days.  I plugged it into the computer and sure enough there were photos on there I had taken and long ago forgot about.  With today's gray day not inspiring me to take many photos I decided to include a few here that I found on that thumb drive/flash drive/memory stick.  Bu ..read more