GLIDING INTO PORT BURWELL

Paragliders and others enjoying the warm weather.

The renovated pier in Port Burwell

SAT 10 MAR 2012 6:50pm  Went down to our beach, just to see if I could do it. It wasn't easy, especially coming back up. The cliffs have changed so much this winter it almost defies description. The path we used to go down now ends half way down at a sheer drop. I went off the side hanging on to half uprooted trees and treading on little islands of soil, the rest being out-croppings of clay and running water. Both sides of the trail have massive areas fallen down. You can't go to the west at all because of huge mountains of clay, which is slippery and sucks you in. There wasn't much beach the other way either with  high water and waves.

It was really great being down there. The sun shone in a cloudless sky. The Eagle was sitting in his tree up at the cliff top. I hope that tree doesn't fall in, it's good to be able to see him occasionally.  I'll try to get pics of the area soon.

SUN 11 MAR 2012 2:50pm J went to Meeting and shopping this am.
My niece, Sherri phoned and gave me more family tree info. Her oldest, Krista, is interested in all that, so she will be looking through it on line.

I'm down by the east  beach in Burwell. Lot's of people out enjoying the sunshine and record temperatures. Para-gliders are jumping off the cliffs and landing on the beach. Getting off the beach is proving more of a challenge. The sails get up but won't lift the gliders. The beach itself is very wide. Too bad ours wasn't taking notes. I suppose it will grow as the season goes on.
The newly cemented pier looks good and makes for a nice stroll in the sun. Lot's of people enjoying it.

I came down to work on my course stuff. I think it's almost done just to copy it out.

Tried starting my bike today and it almost turned over. Put the battery on charge. It's 14 degrees or so all week with 20 on Thurs. Amazing.

TO THE BEACH

FRI 18 NOV 2011 10:03pm  Got our first dusting of the white stuff yesterday. It's been an amazing autumn. When I took these photos the other day I almost had to take my shirt off it was so hot.
Got the call back to work for Monday.

Someone had fun with the clay.

Wild Cucumber vines add a touch of whimsey.

OF BLUES AND BEACHES

TUES 26 JULY 2011 2:48pm Sitting in McD's using the Wi-Fi to watch a couple of videos. It's such a change from home where they buffer out after a few seconds.

Saturday night we went to Neighbours restaurant in Port Rowan to take in one of Duane Rutter's on-going series of singers and players. It was a great show featuring bluesman Brian Cober from Toronto, master of the double slide. Really well-crafted and fun original songs and his spot-on cover of Robert Johnson's Crossroads was downright spooky with sheet lightning in the windows behind him providing the light show. We bought his CD Real Far Gone, and it's smokin'. Find it here.

After a set he and Duane played off each other for a truly special treat for guitar lovers. 

Duane has just released his new CD Never Bet The Devil Your Head. It's literally home-grown, recorded in a tiny room in his house with the equipment at hand. All instruments and vocals are by Duane. The full story is in the liner notes.  And it's great! Check it out for sure, here.

Sunday was hot and humid again and we took full advantage of it. It was one of the laziest days in memory. Usually one of us cracks and gets up to do something, but not this time. As J says that's what people do when they go on holidays, sit around, read, drink beer, and just relax to the max. She didn't say the last part, that's me. So, once I got the concept I was able to really relax. And it was great. Lot's of reading. People talk about their summer reading and that's what they mean. Not a few lines before falling asleep like usual, but all day long. I like this.

Yesterday I went to our beach. There hasn't been much of one this year, but I found there was a fair amount of beach showing after you walked around a bit of a point and through the water.  I found some nice glass. Not a lot but enough to keep me interested. Since I hadn't been down for a while the trip up the cliff just about did me in. But, in all, a good time.

Later we went to the beach in Burwell, the main beach, which is now cut off from the general public by the Provincial Park. You can still get onto it but there is a No Trespassing sign. Jackie walked for a ways and I, having already had a big walk today, stayed behind to take some pics, having remembered to bring my camera.    

I have to confess I did a real Mr.Bean today. I was in the Home buying among other things a toilet plunger. We lost ours. So, having to choose among a few I picked one and stuck it to the floor. Very good suction – I couldn't pull it up. A large biker type was ambling down the aisle and I'm pulling on this handle. Finally I gave it a swift kick to break the suction and it gave. I picked it up and said “It works.” He sort of smiled.



Here's some photos from our walk on Port Burwell main beach.

Jackie's leaving me behind. A real fast mama.

Vegetation left to aid in building the dunes.

Swing around the other way and there's the break-wall.

Getting close up and personal with the break-wall

Even closer.

OK, back off a bit.

Ye olde beacon.

Heading out to the hungry fish.

BACK TO WORK (APRIL IS THE CRUELEST MONTH)

FRI 01 APR 2011 4:23pm  So, here it is April, the cruelest month, according to T.S. Eliot. It certainly is a transition month, with everything green just waiting to burst forth, and the last of the snow melting with the temperature rising. And my personal winter is over since I got the clarion call to return to my place of employment. It actually doesn't seem so bad, I guess because I've been off so long. And it helps that I got a lot done that I'd planned on. And some I hadn't.

I'm sitting in the bright late-afternoon sun in my workshop. still amazed at the beautiful plank floor I put in just this past week. I was surprised at how fast it went. And it makes a huge difference. There's room to move around. It feels solid, not like the dirt floor it had been. Easier to keep clean. Room to lay stuff out. It's the shop I've always wanted. And the crazy part is there's enough floor space, with the table saw easily pushed out of the way, to practice dancing. We have a ball room now!

A couple of days ago we went for our first walk on the beach. Not much glass showing yet but we did find one really nice piece. There were still a few hills of ice and snow, but most of the water is free. Colts' foot are out on the hill-side. Little yellow harbingers of spring. A whole world that lay buried beneath the snow for a good four months is now rushing to make itself known. Soon I'll be writing on my back porch. It will be the for the first time, because I started this blog in January. 

Tried to start the motorcycle today. It cranked but, not quite. Put the battery on the charger again. It drained fast so probably needs more juice. If that doesn't work I might have to drain the gas and put new in. That worked one year. But, it's amazing how often, after it sitting outside all winter, it's just started right up. It's a 1982 Suzuki. I wonder how many new ones would do that?

 Met Lori for lunch in Dover last Thursday. Really good visit. She gave me a book called The Yellow-Lighted Bookstore by Lewis Buzbee. It's a memoir and a history of the book trade. When he was a teen and being disparaging of the books his parents read he was upbraided by an older woman who pointed out that they did him a favour in bringing books, any books, into the house and made reading a natural thing to do. I had the same attitude and now feel upbraided along with him. 
A few pics of Port Dover follow.....

Had a bit of a day away. Went to a few thrift stores. J was looking for some dolls she can use in her class to show how the spine bends. Something to make it fun. Then we went to a big mall to look for beads. Didn't find any but went into a music store and was pleasantly surprised at the large selection of vinyl records. And these are new, not used. Also had little record players that look like the portable ones we had years ago. No matter how hard they tried they couldn't kill vinyl. Lifts my heart. Photographs and printing that you can actually see with older eyes. Long live LPs!