OUR NEIGHBOR MONICA'S MAGNOLIA TREE IS IN BLOOM Each morning when I peer out of our large east-facing living room window I can see my view turning greener by the day as the trees and shrubbery continue to quickly grow and fill in my view.  Disappearing quickly is winter's gray and stark colorless landscape.  Oh, how wonderful to see those horrible horrible winter months gone!!  While looking out the window a white pick-up truck backed into our driveway with my load of stone dust.  GOLDCOAST DELIVERS MY STONE DUST My seven bags of mulch for the front ..read more

 IT'S THAT MARSH MERRIGOLD TIME OF YEAR AGAIN An overcast gloomy looking morning but at least temperatures came up to 73F. under sunny skies later.  By late afternoon it was thunder, lightning, and rain.  Groovy.    I THINK BY THE TIME THESE FELLERS IN FRONT OF SHOPBIKE COFFEE ROASTERS WRAP IT UP THEY WILL NO DOUBT HAVE ALL OF THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS SOLVED Pheebs and I headed to Gold Coast Landscaping south of Bayfield earlier today to have a look at some mulch for the flower beds.  On the way, Richard went by the other way ..read more

A LONE DANDELION ALONGSIDE THE ROAD The last time I had taken a drive out into the countryside to have a look at the starry night sky was probably late last year sometime.  Sunday night, as soon it was dark enough, the Jeep and I headed out to have a look at the stars.  It was a beautiful night with an unusually warm late April wind blowing as I stood beside the Jeep looking up.  I immediately noticed the Big Dipper was straight overhead.  And then something a little odd.  I had noticed a few faint flashes out of the corner of my eye on my way out to the count ..read more

 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