A Whole Farm Chocked Full Of Goodies & Babies !!!

What a day I had yesterday !  I made it up to my Doctors, Just North of the Checkerboard, for my weekly shot in the arm, then on to the Golden Dawn Senior Citizen's home to collect my Mother.

Mother and I had a "wonderful" visit, as well as an enjoyable lunch of Homemade Chili here, prior to me driving her into her hair appointment with Pam, owner of Hair Solutions, in Wiarton.  Mother was ready to be beautified by having her hair "touched" up a bit, and Pam being such a great colour specialist that she is did a most wonderful job as usual.  We have been going to Hair Solutions for the past 5 years, so it just feels like Mom and I are going in for a regular friendship visit with Pam and her associates, as we have always been made to feel so comfortable there.

Now the downfall to this whole day was my camera was sitting at home, once again, with its battery sitting in the charger .... oh man !!!!  So no beautified Mother picture was taken that day !  Maybe next time.

After returning Mother back to Golden Dawn in Lion's Head, I didn't return home until just before 5:00 p.m., where I got my camera and headed out again on an adventure all of my own of to an "Open House" at DeJong Acres Farm, located at 24 Conc. 24, Lake Charles, RR 2, Wiarton, ON., a family run business owned and operated by Brian & Anita DeJong, who I might add also have two very lovely daughters, Rayleen and Nichole.

"There certainly was a very cute welcoming committee there to greet me as I made my way up the long driveway to park."

"Upon my entry into the Farm Store, after passing a couple of customers on their way out with their purchases, this lady was just picking up her Thanksgiving Turkey she had previously ordered.  By the looks of that Turkey I would think they get sold pretty quickly, so I am thinking maybe one should be ordered now for Christmas?  By the way, this lady was aware that I had taken her picture with absolutely no problem on her part.  I am thinking I had just taken her by surprise by the look on her face, but it had been the "Turkey" I was aiming for ....  lol."

"Hey "Honey", please pass the "Maple Syrup" over here will ya????"

"Spice me up or mix and dip me would you please?"

"Now I am actually reading the sign on this refrigerator door, why didn't I go for the "Open House" special?  I suppose my mind was trying to take in too many other delightful items."

"Couldn't miss the signage on the front of the freezer letting customers know what a great selection there is available to DeJong's customers, as well as their excellent pricing !"

"Then to actually see the selection !  Wowsers !!!"

"Anita is also a representative for "Epicure Selections".  I noticed she does carry a wide variety of products, however one can place an order for a product to suit your own needs and/or requirements from the catalogue."

After perusing all the wonderful stuff in Anita's and Brian's Farm Store, I also received a mini tour of the barn.

"Another welcoming member was there to greet me .... "

"..... along with a few more inside the barn.  Um, who is more scared of who here I wonder?"

"Awww .... now onto more "cuteness" ."

As Anita and I had been chatting away as she was showing me the sheep and their babies, her very observant eye caught something way over in the next pen, and in a instant was over there, calling out to Brian as she made her way into the pen.

"A new baby was born with another arriving right behind ..... wow, did I pick the right time to go in for a tour of the barn !"

By this time it was getting rather late in the day, so it was time for me to take my leave back home and for the DeJong Family to get on with their very very busy lives.

It was a great pleasure being a guest at the DeJong Acres Family Farm, and I am already looking forward to my very next visit, as I had already promised a friend of mine I would take her out to see Anita about some Epicure Selections product once she had returned back home from her own family Thanksgiving Dinner away.  Yeah another trip to the Farm !!!

Should anyone like to have a "Sweet Things" experience as I did at the DeJong Acres Farm, please feel free to contact Anita & Brian DeJong at 519-534-1211, for very simple driving directions to where their farm is located.  I can also testify to the fact that it is also a most pleasant drive to their farm on a beautiful Fall day.

"As I made my way back home, I passed by some very stately looking Elk .... but I will make that an "adventure" for another day .... "

It was well on its way to the 7:00 p.m. hour when I made it back home to not be home too long when my baby boy arrived to have an overnight visit with us, since he had other prearranged plans for the Thanksgiving Weekend, so I was pretty happy for the time we got to hang out together for the remainder of my evening ....

"Here is my boy, Paul, with the "oh Mom, the camera again" look.  LOL, how well t hat boy knows his Mother."

Okay now the sun is out in full force as I sit here thinking about a second cup of Java, I suppose I should see what the Wiarton Airport weather guy has to say about the day ahead.

It is all looking pretty good to me, so I think I will just carry on with it and head into my day, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

Kicking Off To a Beautiful 2011 Bruce County Thanksgiving Weekend

I have had a peek at the weather forecast for this upcoming Thanksgiving Weekend, and I really think my "bad" marriage feeling towards the local Wiarton Airport's weatherman can be put aside for this weekend anyway .... lol.  I am sure everyone else would think the same after seeing a forecast like this:

It most certainly doesn't get much better then this for a Holiday weekend.  If I reflect back on all the 2011 Holiday weekends, I am sure this one is the only forecast that is "perfect" from start to finish !  Thanks Mr. Weather Guy,  I am happy now until Wednesday. .....

Now that I have the most important weekend business at hand in order, I can get on with my yesterday ..... yesterday most certainly was not as productive as I was hoping it to be, however it was most enjoyable, so that outranks being productive, more times then not, in my books.

What a perfect weekend to take in some of the Fall Colours, which have just begun to make their appearance, by taking an Ontario Fall Back Road Tour?  Here's what I had a little "peak" at yesterday, video compliments of Gem Webb at ExploretheBruce, just thinking it was something I could share with everyone else today .....



Bruce County has many interesting back roads, so pack up a lunch and take advantage !  I am thinking I might take my own advice by doing that myself this weekend.

After a wonderful hour spent at the local VON SMART exercise program, where I found myself being a little bit "off" yesterday, finding it difficult to keep up or myself in sync.  These days happen to me when I am tired, as I never seem to find a "second" wind that early in the day, however I persevered and got myself through the hour, which ended up surprisingly going quite quickly.

When I got back home I got myself a coffee and proceeded to check my emails while I was enjoying my coffee.  Our good friend, Ralphy, had sent me a video of a workout I am sure would have given me that "much needed second wind" !



I am thinking there are not too many people out there who would NOT get a second wind from all the fun this "workout" provides?  LOL  Thanks Ralphy, this was my first "belly laugh" of the day and I found it totally amazing as well !!!

Once I had my "belly laugh" for the day and a much needed coffee in to me, I got going on making Dinner for Rob and myself, as well as getting preparations started for the double batch of chili I was making.  By the time Dinner was over with and the chili was in the pot it was almost 4:00 !  Between chopping, opening cans and all the cleanup that goes along with it, it doesn't take long for time to pass by .....

" ......  it was also a very very "large" pot of chili. "

As being the only taste tester around at the time, I must admit it was very very good !!!  Yummy !!!

Since I have been so out of sync the past while (it has actually been a long while), I haven't been keeping up with my daily walks for sometime, so I decided Lexus and I would head downtown last night to have us one.

"Once we got parked and out of our vehicle, we were honoured to meet a couple other local pooches also out for their daily walk."

"Wiarton certainly has some pretty "unique" woodcarvings in and around town, as you can tell for yourself from this picture, which we find ourselves walking by from time to time.  Just click on the link to decide for yourself:  http://explorethebruce.posterous.com/ontario-chainsaw-art-which-is-better-wiarton"

"Here is Lexus giving her full attention to another dog up the street rather then ..... "

"..... looking into the mirrored window to get her picture taken with Mom !"

That was my day all wrapped up in a "nutshell" with a few humdrum usual chores sprinkled here and there inbetween it all.

Before I am off and running ....

....... once again, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

A Visit To The "Lady Of The Corran" For A Cup Of Tea

I slept most of the night away, but why on God's green earth am I still tired?  Another one of life's mysteries, as I never seem to be completely rested ..... but I did sleep so this was a "bonus", regardless of how I am feeling right now... lol.

Now onto my yesterday .... beginning in its most usual humdrum fashion by making our bed, carrying on to the tidying of the kitchen, sweeping the floors, going out to pick some green tomatoes .....

"Stopping along the way to admire the Monkshood which has just recently began to bloom showing off it's regal colour of purple."


I then continued on to pick and wash some beets for our dinner, feeding the beet greens to the chickens before I headed in to get the vegetables on the go.

It was such a beautiful Fall day so while our dinner was cooking I took advantage by taking down the curtains from the kitchen and spare bedroom windows and throwing them into a wash.

By the time I had completed that task, it was time to think about getting the table set, our Dinner set out and onto our plates .... I had been looking forward to the Dinner I had made for us.

"Yummy, I had done a Peameal Bacon roast in the slow cooker first thing in the morning, and served it alongside brussel spouts, beets and potatoes."

By the time our dinner was enjoyed and cleaned up from, it was almost time for my "Crabby Cabbie" to leave for work.  After he had left it was just another humdrum chore of folding and putting a load of laundry away before I gathered up our Lexus to head up the road for a walk into Spirit Rock.

"Spirit Rock is one of my most favourite places to go for a walk.  It is only 2 minutes up the road from us, it is peaceful with beautiful views and it is not too much of a lengthy walk from where I park at the gate to walk  in and back out, I would say approx. 20 minutes at a normal clip."

"Here we are already parked with the van off to the side as we make our way down the path towards "The Corran"."

"Lexus has learned to be most patient when we are at a stand still for me to take pictures.  This has come with maturity on the part of Lexus, as she used to pull at one time with the camera almost flying out of my hands.   Good girl, Lexus."

"Up around a bend we come, with this being about the half way mark to "The Corran"."

" We make it in to the parking area, where there are also washroom facilities available at this location."

"This signage gives a "wee" little bit of history on the property from the time it was held by it's original owner, Alexander McNeil from 1882 - 1932, as well as showing how the trail loops at this particular location."

"We arrive at the gates which must have had many carriages, buggies, wagons and livestock go through at one time."

"Those gates lead into the ruins of what had been a stable and barn so long ago, housing those same carriages, buggies, wagons and livestock that had passed through those gates so many years ago that are now long past ."

"We made our way from the stable area by retracing our steps and heading over to the ruins of "The Corran".

"My imagination takes great leaps and bounds within my head as I look upon these ruins imagining ladies and gentlemen ascending these stairs to attend to an "afternoon tea" being served by "The Lady of the Corran" herself."

"We leave the ruins to head on down and around the loop leading to the path descending towards the "Spirit Rock Lookout"."

"We make it to the lookout where we can see way across to the other side of Colpoy's Bay.  What a beautiful sight."

"One could descend down to the shoreline of Colpoy's Bay, and make their way into Wiarton by taking these very very steep stairs.   I, myself, have been down these stairs twice before with quite a "queasy" stomach each time, as I am very poor with heights."

"Lexus and I made out way back, up and back towards the main trail on these paths made from rock and tree trunks, constructed by no other then Mother Nature herself."

"Along the Bruce Trails there is signage to be found everywhere so I am certain there should be no fear of NOT finding one's way to their final destination."

"Here we go continuing on around the loop as we made our way back."

"By this time, Lexus is getting quite bored with the whole "picture" taking thing by the look and very big yawn she has going on here."

"Here we are already at the end of the loop taking us back out to the main road where our vehicle is parked, only a short 10 minute or so walk from here now."

With all my lolly gagging, picture taking and "pee" stops for Missy Lexus, the whole walk took us only 45 minutes ..... so on a dry Fall day, or in  my case, anytime, I most certainly enjoy walking in to see the sights of "The Corran" and the "Spirit Rock" lookout where I can let my imagination drift off with me going along for the sheer pleasure of it all .....

Now I will share the two pictures that were taken by my friend, Carol, in Sussex, England to see what it was like over there only being a couple of days past from now.

"Carol stated in her email to me that Fall was not in full swing over there yet, however I am seeing a lot more colour in her pictures then mine have yet to show."

" .... and such lovely manicured grounds.  I am thinking these pictures Carol has chosen to share with me are very lovely indeed.  Thanks again, Carol."

England.  Another place I would love someday to travel to.  How fortunate we have all this technology now a days, as there is a new whole world out there opened up to us by now just "googling" it !!!  Thank goodness for me anyway, as I would never get to go anywhere far from Bruce County if I couldn't "google" it.

I have my VON SMART exercise program today to attend to, so I best be getting on with checking out what the weather has to say about my day ahead and get on with it.

What is there NOT to like about a forecast like that ????  I would have to be NUTS not to !!!

Things to do, people to see, so here I go off and running, once again, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".

A "Muddled" Through My Day Kind of Day

It was bad enough I had a date the night before with Mr. Insomnia without having a date last night with "how in the heck did I twist my back again?".  Let me tell you it was not too romantic at all !  Finally at 3:38 a.m., I resisted and took some "meds" to go back to bed, only to arise now, it being after 7:30.

Great .... not only will I be tired today, I will be a little "dopey" as well !  LOL, you be quiet on that "note" my dear "Crabby Cabbie" !

My yesterday was not too productive at all since I really don't move too fast when I am so tired.  Maybe I did when I was younger, however those days are now behind me.

Rob & I started out first thing by going downtown to our bank to attend to some "Crabby Cabbie" business, then made our way back home to attend to some Bandit, Lexus and Chicken needs, with me hanging a load of washed clothes out on the line before I got our Dinner of Spaghetti together and on the table.

I am now just thinking how much I am going to be missing the antics of those chickens when they leave our premises Saturday only to return in quite a different state from when they left ..... I am sure if it turns out to be a profitable situation, on the chicken's behalf, it will be something we can look forward to trying again next Spring.

I was really pleased when I went out to collect the mail to see the samples I had ordered through Free Samples in Canada, whose page I "like" on Facebook, had arrived.

"I truly don't know how I ended up with so many of these little Tabasco samples, however I now have lots to share !  "Chipotle Sauce", I have never tried so I will have to read the little pamphlet that came along with it to see what and how it is to be used."

After lunch was cleaned up from and my "Crabby Cabbie" left for work, I decided since my plans for the day weren't, once again, going to work out the way I had originally planned, I would still be productive and fix up some potted plants that I hadn't got just right the first time around.

"At least the weather was cooperating with my laundry drying on the line, and by making it easier to transplant the plants by having all the mess outside."

Once I got the job at hand done, it was time to have Bandit & Lexus out for an afternoon run.

"Here is Lexus all "pooped" out from her run and fetching the ball, patiently waiting I might add, while I went in to get the camera."

"I am starting to be of the opinion we can tell how much exercise a dog has gotten by the length of it's tongue hanging out afterwards?  LOL ..... not sure about that one, however by these pictures of Lexus it certainly appears that way to me."

She is so totally much sweeter now that she is almost 2 years old and starting to "listen" much better then she used to.  Good girl, Lexus.

"Oh, this picture is for my friend, Diane, who might be dropping off a book I had lent her and is dropping back off to me this upcoming weekend.  Diane, has never been to our house before, so I thought I would post this picture so she would not get lost by driving right by us .....  LOL, this one's for you Diane !"

"I am amazed on how well this Lobelia has been doing and is still doing in this location since Spring when I planted it.  The other ones in full sun certainly did not fare so well or to long.  I will have to remember to replant more here next year, or should I say, "hopefully remember"?

Last week I had emailed a couple of my Pen pal friends, who live in other countries to see, if able, could they email me back a couple of pictures out and about where they live, so I might be able to do a comparison.

This following picture was taken by my friend, Carol, who lives in Yarm, England on the 2nd of October, on a dull morning as well I might add.

"Although not out in full force, the Fall colours have begun making an appearance in Carol's backyard ......"

"Quite the difference from my own backyard this morning, is it not?"

Carol, had sent me three beautiful pictures, the other two she had taken in Sussex, which I will share tomorrow once I have taken some more of my own to do another Fall colour comparison from in and around our very own Bruce County.

Many thanks have gone out to my friend, Carol, with me hoping she will be able to send some more pictures as Fall progresses.  I am hoping other friends I have scattered within the World will also be able to send me a couple of photos as well.

Once again, thank you Carol, as I love seeing your part of the World as you see it through your eyes.

Now onto what the Wiarton Airport weather guy has to say about the day ahead.

Frost tonight?  That does not surprise me one bit.  I suppose maybe I should be thinking about picking some more green tomatoes off their vines today.

I just received a, what I think to be, very important email this morning on Osteoporosis.  It is a link to where one can go online and attend a Virtual Education Forum on the 11th of October.

This is a "free" event, with I am sure lots and lots of very good learning information with regards to our bones.

http://www.osteoporosis.ca/

From what I have had the chance to read so far, any questions can be answered "live" online.  An awesome education forum which can be done right in the privacy of your own home.  Nice touch you have there Osteoporosis Canada !

Today is my very one and only brother's 65th Birthday !!!  I phoned to sing him Happy Birthday, however I had forgotten he was going Moose hunting and had already left for camp this morning.  Lucky dude, he didn't have to listen to my "off key" singing first thing this morning, so that probably was a "gift" in it's self ..... lol.  It is okay, I will have to "catch up" with him when he returns from his hunting expedition, hopefully with a Moose  in tow.

Wow, it is almost 9:00 p.m., and here I still sit typing the day away ..... I best be pulling out the "rag" from behind me and get on with the day at hand, "Just North of Wiarton & South of the Checkerboard".