A whale of a story.

After spending time in Maine we went to St. Andrews by the sea in New Brunswick. Stayed in a B&B for a couple of days. While there we went whale watching. We were lucky and saw several of them. This one is a fin back. It is the second largest whale after the blue whale. I guess they go 65 feet or more and weigh anywhere from 30 to 80 tons. This one was coming right at us so my small camera was able to pick it up. One had a baby which the marine biologist with us said went 10 tons. 

We then traveled the senic route to the Bay of Fundy. More pics later on that place but a wonder to see. The tides are the highest in the world here. Max is 51 feet or so. Normal on a sea coast is a few feet. Cause of high tide is a bay that is 65 miles wide at base, 1 1/2 miles at head and 182 miles long. Water just gets forced in at a rapid rate - 6 feet per hour.

We have been in Nova Scotia  the last few days. We are staying at a B&B in Lunnenburg. It is the best surviving example of a planned British settlement in North America. It is very unique. Got in a great 40 mile bike ride in the back coves and through quaint fishing villages. Local bike shop was very helpful in planning the route for us. Even got a ferry ride as part of it.

The old school house

We are on our way out East to the maritime provinces for our 25th wedding ann. Stopped at my sister Connie's on Friday. We had our own apartment, not to mention that their house is right on the lake - beautiful. Some of the nieces and their husbands came up for an evening meal. Spent the night talking about great experiences on the old farm. I asked Micheal where he grew up - Mississippi. You would never guess as he has perfect midwest diction. But he reverted for us and started in on how some of his family pronounced words. Had all of us in stitches. Great evening.

We stopped in Franklin Penn. to bike on the Allegheny and Sandy creek trails. Put on 63 miles. What a great time. There were three tunnels, two were over 1/2 mile long with a bend in the middle. Without a flash lite it would have been impossible to see. Also lots of old train trestles over 150 feet high to bike over. The whole time the Allegheny River was right next to us. Tonight we near the New York boarder. Plan to be in Free port Maine on Monday. Lands Ends mother stores are there and open 24 hours a day so lots of shopping. Tuesday it is on to New Brunswick.

Floating top table

 This is the table the jewelry box from the previous post is going to set on. OK the top doesn't really float but kind of a neat way to make a diff. table.

Had a great time at the lake. Stopped at some friends on the way up and they had a pontoon also. So got in a lot of rides between the two places. I see why folks like them. Also got the trimming done in the bathroom of the house we were staying in.

Was up to my Sister Sue's for a few days to say goodbye to my Brother Brent. We got some work

done but not all we wanted to do as it rained for a couple of days. Took Brent to the cities on Friday and dropped him off at my cousin Nancy's place. She got him to the airport Saturday morning for his flight down. He is getting married in a couple of weeks.

Jewery case

Made Sheila another jewelry case. The top, bottom,  and drawer pulls are birds eye maple. The sides and drawer fronts are curly cherry. Not too many straight pieces on this one. Just finished what it will sit on - more later.

Since last blog

- All School reunion in North Dakota was great fun - lots of Sheila's friends were there. It covers a whole weekend with many events.

- New drive way is complete. Made it a little wider with curves. Nice not to have cracks for a while.

- Tour of Saints bike ride was in great weather which is always a treat.

- I am tumbling Apache Tears. Takes a month through the various grits and polishes. On the polish stage now and will be complete Sat. Here's hoping they turn out. Then on to another batch.

- Week ago we went up North with our bike friends from Pillager to camp for 4 nights and ride bikes on the Mesabi trail. Perfect weather.

- Now heading up North again to a friends cabin. He has a pontoon and jet skis so you know what we will be doing. Of course in the mornings they have a bath redo to work on so will only be playing in the PM.

- Almost forgot that helped my brother pack up a large U haul van with mostly his wood working equipment and supplies. Many cousins came over later in the day to help finish it off. I think we must have been close to the weight limit. He is heading to Texas to get married and live there.

Good turn out for Kurtz reunion

By the number of cars you can tell we had a good turn out for the Kurtz family reunion. Thanks Sue for hosting. One side of family stays at a cabin on the ski hill. They hosted a get together Friday eve. Saturday was spent at Sue's. Saturday and Sunday nite were set aside for fireworks. Saturday nite was cut short by a thunderstorm so we carried on Sunday nite. Always amazes me that fireworks of that size are allowed. Brent did a great job.

After a brief stop back home we left for Sheila's all school reunion in North Dakota. It is timed with Turtle Lake days so kind of a big party for two days. Have to be home by Wednesday as  the cement folks are coming to do our driveway (hopefully) on Thursday. Saturday we have a tour ride in Central MN. Summer will be gone before we know it.

Snapper

We headed up to Brainerd last Thursday to stay with friends and ride the Tour of the Lakes bicycle event. Saturday morning (6AM) looked real iffy weather wise. It was clouds and rain. Ron and I looked at each other and thought this is going to be a long day. But after registration the rain stopped. We never had a drop on us and later in the morning it cleared and was a perfect day. Finished the road course by 1:30. As usual the rest stops were loaded with great food. Headed back home on Sunday, stopping off at Elm Creek Park to do a little more biking.

Snapping turtle was on one of our roads so thought I would get a pic. He seemed grumpy. Maybe snappers are always grumpy.

Thanks Ron and Kathy for a wonderful weekend.

Glass Dulcimer

Sheila made this dulcimer while in AZ. She cut and shaped glass and grouted it onto a flat chunk of sandstone. Dulcimer was about 2 feet long and 10 inches wide. Nice 3D effect. She brought it home and gave it to her dulcimer teacher.

Due to the extreme Winter we had to replace a couple of bushes and cut back severely a couple of others. At least everything is now green and the trees have leafed out. All in all things are looking ok.

Spend almost a week up at my sister Sue's place. My brother Brent also was there. We got the lawn and trails cut twice, tilled the garden, cleaned out the garage, and cut a new trail that Sue wanted. Sue was in a throwing mood so cleared up a lot of shelf space. Didn't get a chance to put in the bridge we wanted as too much water in the low lands. Guess will have to do later in the year.

Hummingbird

We have been home for almost 2 weeks now. 3 days have been nice, the rest were cold, cloudy, and rainy. April and May used to be nice months in MN. Must be global unwarming.

Heading up to my sister Sue's later next week. Time to cultivate the garden, mow trails and hopefully start building a bridge. Wish I had put the bridge pilings in last Fall when it was dry. Now area has water in it. Poor planning I guess.

Lizzy

OK, one last animal pic from AZ. We are back in the North again. No storms the entire trip home, just a lot of strong side wind. Semi trucks looked like whips as diff. parts of trailer was pushed in and out as they tried to stay on road.

House and property came through a very tough Winter in great shape from what I can tell. When I turn on outside water lines will find out if any of them burst. Snow blower is mothballed and the mower prepped for the Summer. Sheila is already out in the flower plots getting them uncovered and ready for the Spring. Weather is turning nicer - maybe we brought it with us. We have already been to Paneras three times - life is good.  

Now that's a lemon

We didn't have to squeeze many lemons this size to get a lot of juice.

We packed up, closed down the house this weekend. Left for the North this morning. We only planned to go as far as Flagstaff and visit the Lowell Observatory. Had a great time and may have learned a thing or two that I can pass on to my sister Sue. Spent over 5 hours there. Sue gave us some tickets to go check it out. Think she supports the Observatory and wants to know how good a job they are doing. If so, money well spent. It's cold up here - had my fleece and jacket on for outdoor talks. I am really a wimp.
  

Arachnide (Scorpiones)

I have always wanted to hunt scorpions in the desert. So bought a black light and grabbed a fellow hiker friend of mine to go look for them in the desert at night. He was the camera man. Reason you look for them at night is twofold. They are nocturnal. With a black light at night they light up like a light bulb. No one seems to know why they exhibit this characteristic. Nothing else does this in the desert at night so easy to spot. We were not sure if would see any. In one quarter of a mile we spotted 21. This is a big one. Most were the smaller variety that pack a much bigger punch. They didn't seem to know we had the black light on them as just sat there for the most part.Great fun. When I told my Sister we were going to do do this she got all excited and wanted to see pics. That's my Sis.

Sunday we went to sunrise services (6 AM). We sit outside so was neat to watch the sun rise over the mountains. Also it was 65 degrees. Last year it was so cold had to wear a heavy Spring jacket. Our community center had a pot luck Easter get together. Had 97 of us there. Lot of folks have left so group getting smaller. On Wed. evening we are going to have a little impromptu music jam in the backyard of one of our friends. Probably the last get together before we head out.

Lantana

The plants have been flowering like crazy for some reason. The two pics here are of a couple of our lantanas.  Unfortunately because we will be leaving soon I had the shrub guy cut back our plants today. So now you would have to picture them at half there size and no flowers. If I didn't have them cut back they would be out of control by the time I got back. Matter of fact they have to be cut back again in September.

Starting to get quieter as day by day folks are heading back North. However, 3 sets of folks have said don't come back to soon. They ran into ice and snow on the way back and now have had snow at their homes. Wonder when Winter will give up.

Today was cloudy all day. The first one we had since December. We have had rain on Dec. 15th and Mar 1st, that's it. Well they have plenty of water the worry this year is about wild fires. They have already started. They are trying to get the campers to take extra precautions.

Can't pass up a good mine

3 of us did a hike up to some old asbestos mines. They are North of Globe, up about 3,000 feet at the top of some mountains. Nice hike up. There were about 5 or 6 shafts. I paced one off and it went winding back into the mountain about 700 feet. Lot of side tunnels off the main shafts so had to keep in mind the path you followed in. It was pitch black so you had this eerie feeling of what if the light went out. The mines were in operation from the early 1900's until just after WWII.

Last Wednesday and Thursday we took another trip down to good old Mexico. Had a crown removed, root canal, and new crown put on. In one day out the next. Only problem is have to learn Mexican time. Dr. Diaz as it turns out is a very popular dentist so you may get in on time or 2 hours later. Just have to go with the flow. Every thing perfect so far, no pain at all.

Having our 93 year old friend over tonight for brats and kraut. She can't seem to get it down here and has been really craving it.

The Queen

We took a 3 day road trip this week. Traveled down through Tombstone (not much there) and on to Bisbee. We stayed at the Copper Queen hotel. It is the oldest continuously running hotel in the state. Opened in 1902. Bisbee at one time was the largest city between St Louis and San Francisco. It is basically a copper mining town built into a steep valley. All streets are extreme up or down. Most of the store buildings are still there. The big copper company left in 1975 and the town became almost a ghost town. Then the hippies came in and started bringing it back. There are over 2000 miles of tunnels in the mountains surrounding the town. We then went to Tucson for a couple of days. The Sonoran Desert Museum was outstanding. Old Tucson was interesting.  Took a drive up Catalina Mt. (5000 ft gain) - very beautiful and a great picnic lunch.

Today the bug man and the pre-emergent guy showed up to spray the yard. I do this once a year to keep any critters (scorpions, crickets) and weeds at bay. Have never seen a scorpion so either it is working or we don't have them in the area anymore. I remember my Grandmother telling me they had to chase the scorpions out of the shower area when they came down each year. Glad that is not the case anymore.