Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just before 3:00 a.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is 33° under cloudy skies. Today's high is forecast to reach 33°. I guess we've made it. A light snow fell in the late hours of the evening last night into early this morning, but it appears to be over. In fact, today's forecast has only a 20% probability for more. The sun will rise today @ 8:04 a.m. and set later @ 5:51 p.m.

We got around to our errands and walks with the fur-children yesterday. Probably a good thing, as I'm sure that the sidewalks are once again slightly slippery.

We made a quick stop in Muskegon and then set out on a road-trip to Comstock Park/Grand Rapids to purchase a replacement for STWDs favorite plant in our foyer that she has been using as a salad bar. Suffice it to say that is a non-toxic to pets type as is our newest plant thanks to the greaet service provided by the fine people @ Flowerland. I'll add some pix of our newest floral family member once he is in his new pot, probably in a few days. Yes, this plant is very tall and spiky, thus the designation of a male name.

We stuck to the back-roads versus the highways and byways and that allowed us to see things and places that we've never seen before. In fact, the first sighting we had was some wild turkeys on a two-lane road just outside of Norton Shores as the turkeys headed back to the safety of the woods..

Yes, they are dark, not the white feathered variety that most people associate with turkeys.

Yesterday, we only saw two, but they are quite common throughout most of West Michigan.

Of course, since I had my trusty Olympus DSLR camera along for the ride, I took a lot of pix of the quiet farms along the route. Mary was mostly able to slow down or stop and allow me time to take several shots of most of the farms or barns that we saw. My taste in subject matter is evolving as the seasons change.

Somehow, I doubt that this barn is still in use.

While this one has been well-maintained and is likely still in use.

What was probably a dairy barn that has fallen into disuse.

Whereas this barn and the silos are part of an active farm.

This one, not so much.

Probably still in use.

Probably unused and now part of the scenery.

This being winter, the skies are filled with a veritable montage of clouds/formations, many white and many in various shades of gray, while some blue skies were also in the mix.

As the sun was sinking into the western skies.

Over the snow covered and quiet farm fields.

This sky just looked great.

We stopped @ Stan's before heading home to feed the fur-children. They had their breakfast at 12:00 p.m., but they acted as though they hadn't eaten in days.

As you depart Spring Lake, the skies always seem to have some great cloud formations. In addition, the stack at the soon to be shuttered GHBLP power plant on Harbor Island was emitting some very photogenic formations of steam.

Against a backdrop of the setting sun.

I find it fascinating to take these shots.

Today, we have nothing special on the agenda. Mary has to go to the grocery store and I'll probably stay behind and do some indoor chores and read. I've started another book that is due today and I am moving right along in spite of the regular sized print versus the large-print I prefer.

I can't foresee anything else that needs doing. Ciao.