Our Hallowed Halloween Front Hall

My artsy pic for today:

Wendy decorated our front hall for Halloween. Scary stuff.
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Dash Loved Halloween.

Our old cat Dash (missing, presumed dead, Aug. 2015) used to love Halloween. In fact any excuse to wear a necklace was big event for Dash. He loved attention, unlike our shy and reserved current feline, Benz.

Dash shows off his Halloween neck-ware.

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Happy Halloween!

DID YOU KNOW?

The tradition of carving pumpkins began in Ireland in the 18th century, when the Irish carved turnips & placed lights in windows to keep away spirits on Halloween. When Irish immigrants came to North America, turnips were less common so they substituted with pumpkins.

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Goodbye Jeannie

Our dear cruising friends from the U.K. John and Jean 2008.

An email from John...

"Dear Tim,
I should let you know Jean died unexpectedly yesterday from a massive heart attack.

I know she loved emailing you and got much pleasure from her computer and perhaps you will be kind enough to let all the other Canadian friends know the sad news.
Regards John"

My replies...

"Oh John,
I was just yesterday looking at some wonderful pictures of the good times in the Caribbean and reminiscing about the fun we had. Wendy and I are so sorry to hear about Jean. Please know I will forward your message to all the cruising gang. I often did that with Jeannie's jokes. Our thoughts and prayers are now with you. We hope you will continue to keep in touch.
Love
Tim and Wendy (and all your cruising friends)"

Hello John,

Our hearts are with you! We will never forget Jeannie's beautiful laugh and the fun we had together. Please keep in touch my friend... and thanks for posting to the blog.

Hope to see you again some day.

Hugs

The cruising gang

 
"What wonderful times with a great lady. Jeannie you will be in my heart forever. The world is a poorer place without your infectious laughter."
Your Jonjon
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Fix The Toro Riding Mower

Last week when Wendy got home from her exercise class there was a bad smell of gasoline in the garage. Upon checking it was apparently coming from the lawnmower. Raw gasoline was dripping out of the engine crankcase vent and running to the floor drain. We are lucky there was not a fire or explosion.

The culprit was the float valve in the engine's carburetor, stuck in the open position, allowing all the gas in the tank to run into the engine unchecked. When it filled the oil sump in the crankcase the black mixture of oil and gas overflowed and leaked out onto the floor. I later drained a whole gallon of gasoline and oil mixture from the engine oil sump.

We flooded the garage floor and drain with water from the garden hose until we were sure the gas was dissipated. I ordered a new carburetor on Amazon and had it installed by the next day. Oh yeah; while I was at it I also ordered a spark plug and air filter.

Almost every season I change the oil in the lawnmower and snowblower but I have never bothered with the air filter. This was very neglectful of me.

You can see that the old filter on the right allows no light to pass through. It's actually amazing that the engine ran as well as it did.

Filter shown with black plastic cover removed

I washed and dried the foam pre-filter and reinstalled the new paper element.

 Happily the mower now runs like new. No more leaks. One good thing... the crankcase and engine are now as clean as new, being washed by the raw gasoline of all the old oil sludge that normally accumulates over the years in any engine.
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"Artsy" Pics From A Sunday Drive To Port Stanley

Showing remarkable and most unusual self-control, Wendy and I both "spent a penny" at the restrooms at Mackies but didn't buy ANY fries or treats. A fresh breeze whipped up Lake Erie with high temperatures in the low 50's F.  Summer is over!

Remember, you can click on any pic to see the up-close detail.

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A Facebook Safe Artoon

A Facebook censor-proof picture.

My "Artoon" for today.
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Closing the Pool 2018

Although everything is still amazingly green for this time of year, leaves are really starting to fall, mostly from the walnut trees. Glad we decided to cover the pool. Today I winterized all the plumbing and shut everything down for the winter.

We did get good use this fine summer with sunny, high temperatures almost every day.
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Fall Golf

"Fall Golf 2018"

A pleasant Fall view from our back patio deck.
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A Cute Little Squirrel Poses For Me

Just outside our back door on the patio I saw a cute little squirrel posing for me on the cover of the gas barbeque. I snapped quite a few pictures before he/she? scurried away.

The squirrel's fur looked healthy and full as it gets ready for the coming winter months. We've been feeding them peanuts and sunflower seeds all summer which I'm sure, would be much to the chagrin of the neighbours if they knew.
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Prohibition Finally Ends on Wednesday...

Believe it or not, in my nearly 70 years, I've never in my life tried it. I always wondered what it would be like...

Saw an eyeball peeping
Through a smoky cloud behind the green door;
When I said "Joe sent me"
Someone laughed out loud behind the green door.
All I want to do
Is join the happy crowd behind the green door.

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It will be interesting indeed to see how the rest of the world responds to Canada's end to this 100 year prohibition. I read that this action violates at least three international treaties. We'll have to see if this whole thing works or ultimately unravels. I really wonder what old "big bully Trump", the POTUS has in store for us now? I can't believe he'll just sit there and take it. Maybe the USA will be the next country to drop the prohibition.

You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I'm telling you why
Cannabis is coming to town

WARNING: You could be banned for life from the USA with your credit card information... CLICK HERE

Safer to use a debit card or better yet cash.
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Sungrasses

Shooting into the sun...

As usual, click any pic to enlarge.

Not sure I'd try this with a really expensive Nikon or your favorite phone! Could burn the imaging sensor?

Nature is so beautiful.

CLICK HERE to see a burnt camera.
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Seven Years' Growth for a Black Walnut Tree

June 2011, the walnut tree hides behind the patio screen:

 Today, seven short years and the Black Walnut tree towers above our house:

Although the shade was welcome through the summer heat, this tree now is spreading out over the roof.
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I Love Your Potted Mum!

My "arsty" pics for today:

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Art Deco 1937 "Artsy" Pic For Today

Click the pic to enlarge it.

I love the interesting design classics from the Art Deco Era. I created this quick Photoshop composite poster that I think captures the feeling. A dirigible, DC3 (the second year for this workhorse), a streamliner train, and a beautiful 1937 Talbot-Lago T150-C SS 'Goutte d'Eau'. The building is the 1929 Toronto Star Building.

Did you know Superman co-creator Joe Shuster used the building as a model for the Daily Planet Building.

The year, 1937... Picked for no reason.
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