Good morning or good evening wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City."

Just when you think it's safe to go back in the water, or for that matter anywhere else, the NWS issues yet another Small Craft Advisory from St. Joseph to Manistee from 10:00 pm. tonight until 1:00 p.m. Monday afternoon. Wind speeds of 15 to 25 knots and waves from two to five feet in height are likely.

The current temperature is a brisk 20° under clear skies that feels like 20° with only a slight breeze from the south @ two mph. 

As Punxsutawney Phil predicted last February 2, we were in for six more weeks of winter. However, today's high temperature will reach 39° with a low tonight of 34° and no precipitation in the forecast. However, while the daily high temperatures will now stay in the 30° range and in fact, we are forecast to reach 54° on Tuesday, we won't see regular daily highs of 50° or more on a regular basis for another week or two.  

The sun will rise this morning @ 7:10 a.m. and set this evening @ 6:42 p.m.

I spent some time at my easel yesterday afternoon. I'm still trying to create a suitable picture/painting for our lower level outdoor emergency exit stairs/hallway. I thought I had one the other day, but Mary liked it enough to make it part of our regular display outside my studio. So literally, it is back to the proverbial drawing board or easel. I have a suggestion from Mary that may find its way onto the canvas, but like all things here in the studio, that's subject to change. 

I have been playing music, listening to light jazz on Pandora™, and coloring in my studio too. That's all good as far as I am concerned. Mary was downstairs reading and ignoring her knitting while I was happily at my art. 

We did slip out for a library pick up late yesterday afternoon without the fur-children. We never take them anywhere during this Covid-19 pandemic, not because we are worried about their safety, but because we are afraid that if the crowds that go with weekends here in GH are present with their own fur-children, they might get into a scrum that will necessitate our having to get close to other people. Plus, Ginger is so cute that people might ask to pet her and thus, we'd risk another close encounter of the pandemic kind.

However, since the need to get out was strong in our lives yesterday, we took a short driveabout to allow for some picture taking close to home. I'll share some pix that I liked now.

From Harbor Island near the now razed BLP Sims II Power Plant there, I took this pic of our coal tipple through the trees and over the snow mounds.

On the shores ow what Mary has dubbed "Swan Lake", this was a nice view.

Since the Canada Geese in our area, like in most areas, don't fly south for the winter, I think that these two were heading towards their nesting area. 

From the path that Mary and Ginger discovered.

The man-made dunes as seen through the trees along that same path. The sand is picked up by city workers and deposited here when it blows over Harbor Drive near the Grand Haven State Park. 

Across from "Swan Lake" are the dock areas and stone piles in nearby Ferrysburg. 

Back at the manse, St. Francis and his menagerie await spring.

A story in the Thursday edition of the Grand Haven Tribune about a Stonehenge Replica in Nunica, MI, inspired my taking this shot of our own, Havenhenge in the back-forty. Mary may beed to up her game.

I gave up on the novel I was reading, as it was getting to be tedious. I usually like the characters in this series, but in this case I was reminded of Stephen King's admonition about writing in the horror or thriller genre. You go for horror, you go for gore, and if that fails, you go for the gross out. In this case, the author was unsuccessful in trying to hold my interest. I'll be starting another book today as I have plenty to choose from in the queue. 

I should get another interim coat of paint on my current art project and perhaps some more pencil on paper for my latest coloring project. I should alsoget to the man-cave and finish the final assembly of Mary's potting bench too. I like how it is going to turn out. I hope she does too.  

Mary will continue on her latest knitting project and read more too.