Good mornig or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City", where a current temperature of 39° feels like 34°, but which will hopefully yield today's NWS forecast high of 57°. Later this evening, the forecast has a prediction of rain with a chance of 50%.  Here in GH, that is subject to change at any time.

Speaking of here in GH, Mary and I travelled to Comstock Park yesterday to see a presentation by a horticulturist who lives here in GH. She provided some invaluable information about the gardens of the Palatial Estate, including our soil acidity. We'll begin to apply some of our learning later today.

Since we took the back roads, as we almost always do, we saw some of MI's farms and fields as they begin to awaken for spring. It is always a pleasure to recognize just how agricultural MI really is. A large amount of the apples, blueberries, cherries, and peaches harvested each year in the U.S., come from this part of the Midwest. So far, knock on wood, we saw no buds that would be damaged by a late spring frost or sleet storm.

Not much else happened yesterday. Before our trip to Comstock Park, we took the morning safari with STWD, which took us to an area across the always busy Beacon St. to Washington and Ferry. Sugar got the chance to smell newly uncovered and fresh smells and for her, that is always a delight. We got a loaf of bread which became part of our lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches and another helping of Mary's famous mushroom gravy and nuked potatoes. Then we were fortified for our trip.

It looks like the final roster for the trip north is set for all my teams, especially the boys in blue. No real surprises, but the lineup looks formidable. Still, their spring record is worrisome for a long time fan. They lost again yesterday, 2 - 5 to the Giants. Good news, that blister on Jake Arrieta's hand should not be an issue. The Tigers also seem set for the coming season, but they will have to depend on a strong hitting lineup rather than a pitching staff that will dominate. They won yesterday over the Phillies, 6 - 5. My beloved Red Sox will be improved, but they lost to the Orioles yesterday, 8 - 16.

Today, we will get out to the vast gardens of the Palatial Estate after watching CBS Sunday Morning. We may get those pictures hung too, or not. There is always another day. Monday I was planning to see a movie without Mary, but my choice has not received great reviews from fans nor critics. So the jury is out for me as of now.

I still have to read the Saturday/Sunday edition of the Grand Haven Tribune which we picked up yesterday. I want to play with the girls and do more pleasure reading. Otherwise, not much is in our collective plans.

The sun will rise today at 7:36 a.m. and set at 8:06 p.m. Ciao.