The End the Winter Season

For eighteen weeks the Pioneer Trails buses have been coming in or going out six days a week. I don't know how many thousands' of passengers came and went but today ends the winter schedule. For the next five months the bus makes two trips a month. 

At first glance you are not sure what is under those blankets. I think they are Hall Trees, at least that is what we used to call them.

Forty-four passengers left on today's bus.

The two drivers and David Swartzentruber the owner, closing up the luggage compartments and getting ready to go. 

Beauty

These have stayed beautiful but they desperately need rain. 

Tonight I biked down to the Phillippi Creek and watched the bats and swallows go after the flying insects. I have never seen so many bats and swallows but then I had never been sown by the creek this late. 

Fake Alligator

Finally I saw an alligator swim up the Phillippi Creek early afternoon. I even watched it turn around and start swimming back down the creek. I saw a duck hop up on his tail. I thought this is what is happening, but after the duck sat on his back I had second thoughts. 

Tonight my alligator is an old log which came upstream with the high tide. Where the two waters met the down stream water was stronger that the high tide so the log did a turn around and got stuck at the water's edge. 


Fun at the Park

This pic is a blur partly because the boys are running. But I also zoomed in quite  bit. Nevertheless I love this. I think most of these if not all are my second cousins' children from Ohio, like James & Nelson Troyer from Orrville Ohio and others from Mt Hope area. They would rather vacation here in April rather than the middle of winter. 

The Setting sun

The beauty of the setting sun. 
A hushed quietness settled over the land. 

Exercises

Paul & Ann on a walk this afternoon. I grabbed my camera and stuck it out the door and snapped. We all rejoice with them as Paul had been recently in the hospital for a number of weeks and is now out walking with his wife. 

We know summer has come when Laura goes peddling in the evenings. It is good exercise as she uses a lot of muscles. 

The Master's Dog

The Master's Dog waits patiently outside Yoder's Deli. He is well mannered and well trained. I watched him from across the street and he never moved or flinched as strangers came and went. Finally I biked across the street to see if I can get a photo of him. This was the look he gave me.



Nature

 Low down and beautiful. 

Looks like a dead Egret and yet is doesn't. It came flowing up stream while the tide was coming in. Along with this came a lot of small branches and twigs. It looked like there was a struggle of some sort down river. 

Evening Photos

 The little guy is ready for a ride, after a stop at Big Olaf.

Street Meeting
On the left are the Millers: Viola and two daughters, Hopeless and Yoma. 
Right: Irene and David Swartzentruber



Time to Head North

 The last bus to go north before Easter Sunday.

Fred Mick, Marjorie Yoder and Barbara Wagler. Fred is local. Marjorie thinks about leaving her winter home in sometime in May. Barbara & Paul went north today.

Checking out the seating arrangement. 

Geauga County Ohio girls. 

The Sunset

 Two duck couples went out cruising the Phillippi Creek tonight at dusk. 

The beautiful sunset. We don't have those huge thunderheads yet but those are coming around in a few weeks, before the rainy season. 

I enjoyed the busy winter season but I also love this quiet season.

Al Goes Home

Most times Al Miller from Middlefield Ohio is the first Snowbird to arrive in the fall and the last one to leave in the spring. This season he was here for seven months and left for Geauga County today.

Al's last morning meeting at Yoder's Deli this morning. 

Omar is passing out sheets of special toilet paper in preparation of saying "Good Bye" to Al. It is true, Al is one of a kind.

Boarding the bus via the lift. David Stoltzfus is inside to get him settled while the two drivers, Lloyd Kauffman and Marvin Mast operated the lift.  


A Slice of Today

 We, the neighbors are going to miss Landon and his sister when they fly home tomorrow.

The Pioneer bus came in with passengers. 

I am not sure if these are from Geauga County Ohio or from a daughter settlement.

Long time no see.

Getting their drinking water supply.

The Sky on Fire

 This was the beginning of our sunset.

Al and Rita Farmwald. Al lives in Geauga County Ohio and Rita has Geauga County roots. 

And the sun set. 

Wildlife in Pinecraft

With our strong cold north wind the birds were grounded and that brought many a bird watcher to the Pinecraft Park.

 I think these are Wood Ducks. A few days ago I watched a single parent swim with her babies across the creek. 

 The Little Blue Heron walks a straight line. 

 This afternoon my sister Mary Ann, her friend Elsie and I borrowed a golf cart and went back to the pond where the alligators are. From a distance we saw four of these. With the naked eye we thought these were babies, but on the computer I am not so sure these are babies.

The view across the pond.

Eating grass in the heart of Pinecraft. I am pretty sure this rabbit stayed hidden during the busy winter season.

Pioneer Trails Leave Pinecraft

This afternoon two Pioneer buses left for the north. 
Today was the end of the busy season. 

 The Indiana bus was loaded. 

David directing John Miller through the crowd.

The Ohio bus, Wayne and Sarah Ann Mast. Their plans are to go north for three weeks and then return and stay another 4-5 weeks. Pinecraft needs a fresh supply of older people for year round residents. Maybe one of these years they will stay. 

These little children are well equipped. They each have their basket of things to do.

Katie and Barbara

John showing his strength. 

Shuffleboard Tournament

The Wednesday evening Shuffleboard Tournament is a very serious game, much more then all the shuffleboard games being played during the rest of the weeks. But so be it.

 Six/eight of these men came walking single file to the shuffleboard game. 

 The front view of a few of the men.



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