Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and around the world. It is just past 7:00 a.m. in "The City."

We have a current temperature of 70º partly-under cloudy skies. A wind speed of 6 mph makes it feel like 70º. Today's high-temperature forecast of 84º will also be under partly-cloudy skies with an RHI for today of 74 %. Not good weather for man nor beast to be outdoors. So, neither we nor the fur-children will be going out for an extended period today.

The sun will rise this morning @ 7:03 a.m. EDT and it will set later this evening @ 8:28 p.m. EDT.

As all too often happens, the predicted storms yesterday split up over the "Big Lake" and went around GH. While a few drops fell, I ended up watering the vast gardens. While there is no significant precipitation in the forecast until Friday's 60% chance for T-storms, Friday's forecast also signals the last of our 80º plus days for the next 10 days or so. Phew!

That doesn't mean that the inclement weather has gone away.

In place of precipitation, we have a Beach Hazard Statement in the forecast for Mason, Oceana, Muskegon, Ottawa, Allegan, and Van Buren counties that goes into effect tonight @ 8:00 p.m. and continues through 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. That means that swimmers are warned that they should not be going into the hazardous waters of Lake Michigan.

In addition, we have a Small Craft Advisory in effect for shoreline counties from St Joseph to Manistee for that same time period. Wind speeds of 15 - 25 knots and wave heights of 3' to 5' are possible. While that warning poses no concern for the big ships that regularly visit GH, inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions.

Plus, as proof of my earlier admonition about going outdoors today, there is an Air Quality Alert in effect for Muskegon, Ottawa, Kent, Allegan, and Van Buren counties until 9:15 p.m. tonight. I love the precision that that forecast confers upon this alert. Not 9:00 p.m., not 10:00 p.m., but 9:15 p.m. Ozone levels are expected to be elevated. thus, it is recommended that active children and adults and persons with respiratory diseases such as asthma limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Ya think?

In baseball news, last night, the now 18 - 11 Cubs were soundly defeated by the 12 - 16 Tigers, 1 - 7, as RHP Tyler Chatwood came off of the IL and threw for 1 1/3 innings, facing 12 batters, walking five of those, recording only four outs and allowing two runs. He was mercifully pulled by Cubs' manager David Ross, who called on a shaky relief corps for help. While the final score doesn't show it, the return to the active roster by RHP José "Q" Quintana in relief for three innings, was a hint of better things to come

Perhaps Chatwood was just rusty, but any hope for the return of a solid starting rotation was not in evidence last night. Quintana also just came off of the IL, so he may be moving out of the bullpen and back into the starting rotation very soon. The next game in the series is tonight @ 7:10 p.m. when LHP Jon Lester, 2 - 1, goes for the Cubbies @ Comerica Park against the Tigers and RHP Michael Fulmer, 0 - 0. The Cubs have tomorrow off before a big weekend series in Cincinnati.

My beloved 10 - 20 Boston Red Sox played the Blue Jays last night and came away with the win in the Blue Jays temporary home of Buffalo, NY. The "X Man", SS Xavier Bogaerts, went 3/5 as the Sox batted around in the sixth and loaded the bases that were cleared by a triple off of the bat of 3rd baseman Rafael Devers. Tonights' original starter for the beloved, Nathan Eovaldi, has been scratched to be replaced for a spot start by RHP Colten Brewer, 0 - 1 for a  6:37 p.m. EDT game.

We collectively did some indoor chores yesterday and also baked a loaf of what has instantly become a keeper, basil/vegan cheese beer bread. The taste is excellent and the preparation is easy, especially when we work together.

Ready for baking.

Fresh from the oven.

Slathered with vegan margarine.

All pictures courtesy of our Senior Staff Photographer.

Today, more reading, more music, more knitting, and more TV viewing. Sadly, we watched the final episode of Downton Abbey yesterday. We will miss this fine program. While the series ended in 2016, there are rumors of a Downton Abbey movie being in the works, but no timetable as of yet. We may have something new to watch in the rotation. I'll keep my loyal readers posted. We still have more of The Man in the High Castle to watch, but that is a much different type of series. Ciao.