Good morning or good evening wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 9:00 p.m. in "The City."

We have a current temperature of 75° under partly-cloudy skies that feels like 75° with a wind out of the south @ 3 mph. In addition, the NWS has issued the first Air Quality Alert of 2021 for tomorrow here in Ottawa County, MI. People are strongly encouraged to avoid refueling vehicles, mowing lawns with gasoline powered equipment, and other activities which can contribute to adding additional ozone to the atmosphere. 

Also, people with respiratory conditions, such as asthma, should avoid strenuous outdoor activity. It looks as though even though I don't have any respiratory problems, I am nearly 0 years of age and I think it best if I too avoid strenuous outdoor activities. Thus, my plans for my inaugural 2021 bike ride will have to be postponed. I am glad that I did my watering today. 

The sun will rise tomorrow @ 6:16 a.m. and set tomorrow evening @ 9:07 p.m.

I just had to take my camera out to the vast gardens in the back-forty before I watered our plantings. I got several great shots of our first bearded iris blooms, as well as some of the other plantings and hardscape here on the Palatial Estate.

I was shouting down when I captured our first bearded iris flower.

Which is growing right behind those aforementioned blooming Dianthus plants.

This might be our next iris bloom.

These yellow and red tulips are late-bloomers. 

While the white tulips are done for the year.

Mary planted this geranium in a pot atop a reclaimed chair.

Horseradish also has flowers early in the spring. 

We purchased Harry the Hare as a hose stop for the vast gardens.

The 22 - 21 Cubs were paced by Ian Happ's two home runs in their 5 - 2 defeat of the 17 - 23 Washington Nationals. That win gave the boys in blue five wins out of their last seven games also three out of four wins over the Nats. LHP Justin Steele, 2 - 2, got his second win of 2021. The Cubs placed outfielder Jason Heyward on the IL with a hamstring injury. The team called up outfielder Nick Martini from their triple A Iowa team to take Heyward's place on the roster. 

Cubs GM Jed Hoyer is playing his future plans for trades close to the proverbial vest, but he also noted that the Cubs are lagging behind in reaching the 85% Covid-19 vaccination level that would allow the 
Cubs to relax some restrictions, most notably, attendance at the Friendly Confines. 

The Cubs travel to St. Louis for an 8:15 p.m. EDT game tomorrow night against their arch rivals, the NL Central division leading 25 - 18 Cardinals, as RHP Kyle Hendricks, 3 - 4 gets the start for the Cubs.

The 17 - 26 Tigers were off today before meeting the 20 - 22 Royals in Kansas City, MO tomorrow night for a game beginning @ 8:10 p.m. EDT, when RHP Jose  Urena, 1 - 4, makes his next start.

2My beloved 27 - 18 Red Sox defeated the 23 - 19 Blue Jays in Florida, 8 - 7, scoring three unanswered runs inthe top of the 9th. The Sox play the 22 - 21 Phillies in Philadelphia  tomorrow night @ 7:05 p.m. when LHP Martin Perez, 1 - 2, takes the mound.

The 7 - 7 Caps defeated the 6 - 9 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers tonight, 4 - 1. The Caps and the Rattlers go again tomorrow night in Wisconsin @ 7:35 p.m.

I played Ivy, my Ovation 12-string guitar this morning and I think I was playing well and staying vocally in tune on many songs. Later, after lunch, I watered, weeded, and cut down some other weeds with a string trimmer. 

Mary was at that big-box nearly everything store with Ginger when I made some vegan steaks for our dinner repast that was accompanied by a nice salad. Lunch was some leftover pasta after some toasted raisin bread slathered with vegan margarine. 

We walked to the Loutit District Library with STWD to pick up some books Mary and I had on hold. Sugar wanted to do more, but while her desire is strong, her flesh is not as strong as her desire. We made it home so that she could get some rest.

Tomorrow, I  think it best that we stay indoors and out of that Air Quality Alert caused by that ozone buildup. To that end, we turned on the A/C to keep the bad air out and keep the good air in. Ciao.