Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is now well past the sunrise of 6:04 a.m. and well before the sunset @ 9:26 p.m.

As of now, we have a current temperature of 59°, also our overnight low, under clear-skies that feels like 58° with a wind out of the north @ 6 mph.

A Beach Hazard Statement and a Small Craft Advisory go into effect @ 2:00 p.m. this afternoon and will remain in effect until 2:00 a.m. Wednesday. 

The  Beach Hazard Statement brings with it strong admonitions about staying out of wafer and off of the piers in the state Parks located in Allegan, Ottawa, and Van Buren counties. Strong currents and breaking waves could sweep people off of the piers and those currents may also produce Rip Currents which can challenge even the best swimmers.

That Small Craft Advisory brings with it wind-speeds of 10 to 15 knots with gusts possible to 30 knots and wave heights of three to five feet. 

As I noted in yesterday's blog, kite-surfers were not deterred by those statements and advisories yesterday, and so both they and many beachgoers were out in force late yesterday afternoon.

This surfer was doing great!

Pulled by the winds and encouraged by the sunny skies.

As were several others.

Whom I captured as a cargo ship waited its turn on Lake Michigan before getting into port.

Even the gulls were enjoying the strong winds. 

That cargo ship on the waters of the "Big Lake" against the azure sky.

We hadn't intended to go to the beach during our errands, but water draws Mary in all the time. We first stopped at the library for a book pick-up and then somehow we were drawn to the City Beach of GH, where I took the shots shown above.

So what was to be our second stop, Duncan Woods, for an exploratory photo-shoot, became our third stop. I was hoping to get some pix to use as inspiration for my next painting session and so I took these pix. Mary has a much stronger sense of what I should be seeing and photographing than I do, so I rely on her to give my pix focus and clarity. 

I was trying to get a feel for what trails looked like. At Duncan Woods, the trails are mostly sand from the dunes that surround Lake Michigan. 

The sunlight produces a mottled effect in the late afternoon. 

Trees and leaves abound.

However, so do roots, soil, and rocks too. 

I think the roots are there to trip me, but they are part of the trails.

So too are mosses and grasses.

I think I got some good shots for inspiration. Now all I  have to do is find time to paint. Retirement is such a busy state of being.

I have to keep my baseball report short. The tied for 1st in the NL Central Cubs fell to the 1st place in the NL East Mets last night, 2 - 5, ending their five-game win streak. RHP Jake Arrieta had nothing after a strong start and took the loss. Jake ain't what he used to be. The Cubs and Mets play in NYC again tonight @ 7:10 p.m. EDT with RHP Alec Mills on the mound for the Cubs.

My beloved Red Sox, 2nd in the AL East, needed a walk-off single from Rafael Devers to eke out a win over the 3rd place in the AL East Royals, 2 - 1. The Sox take on the 3rd place in the NL East Braves tonight @ 7:20 p.m. with LHP Eduardo Rodriguez trying to get two in a row for the Sox.

The 4th place in the AL Central Tigers were victorious over the 3rd place in the AL Central Royals, 10 - 3. However, starting pitcher Matthew Boyd was removed from the game with arm problems in the early innings and it took an already beleaguered relief corps to finish the game. The Tigers and the Royals play again tonight with RHP Casey Mize on the hill @8:10 p.m.

The 2nd place in the Eastern Division White Caps are home tonight to face the 1st place Dayton Dragons in a game that begins @ 7:05 p.m.

Today is another indoor chore day along with watering the green-children and that's about it. I have no other firm plans, having expended my energy and yak reserves yesterday. I'm relatively certain that Mary and Ginger will be walking over to Mary's auxiliary gardens to water there. Ciao.