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."

My DTWS is showing a current temperature of 54° versus that being reported by the NWS, 53°. I'll go with the very local 54°.

The sun will rise this morning @ 7:41 a.m. and set later tonight@ 7:27 p.m. To paraphrase Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

I am probably going to eschew anymore baseball new, that is unless my beloved Red Sox manage to overhaul those Damn Yankees and nail down the second AL Wild Card spot. Right now, the Sox are one game in back of the Yankees with four games left in the regular season. The Sox won last night over the Orioles, 6 - 0, while the Yankees fell to the Blue Jays, 5 - 6. Can the Sox pull a rabbit out of their collective hats? Stay tuned, as the Sox and the Oriole play again tonight beginning @ 7:05 p.m., when RHP Nick Pivetta, 9 - 7, makes his final start of the regular season. 

By the by, the Yankees are also in action tonight against the Blue Jays beginning @ 7:07 p.m. Do the Blue Jays have another win in their pockets? They are four games in back of the Yankees in the Wild Card standings, but they can play the role of spoiler.  Are the Yankees going to fold? Once again, stay tuned.

Otherwise, not much is happening around here. I went to a grueling P/T session yesterday and then came home to make vegan Italian burgers, two of which became part of our dinner along with our own recipe vegan Coleslaw as a side. 

I finished my latest novel, The Bourne Treachery, late last night. In this man's opinion, since this book was written by someone other than the late Robert Ludlum, it was not of the same quality as the Bourne books penned by Ludlum. 

Mary finished listening to her latest book on an E-Reader service called Libby, and she loved it. I have to ask if she stayed awake long enough to watch the book vanish into the ether as it was on electronic loan. That's how anything that becomes due or is returned on Libby is handled, it just disappears.

I read an article written by Dr. Fiona Hill, a former member of the previous administration that Mary had forwarded to me. It was very sobering and I have to discuss it with Mary.

We have our Covid booster shots scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at a local chain pharmacy store. Everything I've read indicates that the side-effects should be minimal. Here's hoping.

Otherwise, not much is on tap here. More painting, more music, more puzzle solving and more retirement for both of us along with more cross-stitching and listening for Mary. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 8:00 a.m. in "The City" where the current air-temperature is 66°, the same as the water-temperature @ the Grand haven State Park. Alas, my yak and the Covidiots and mask-holes seem to have precluded my swimming in the "Big lake" for yet another year. 

At any rate, there are also two alerts in effect until 2:00 p.m. this afternoon. 

First, a Beach Hazard Statement has been continued for Allegan, Ottawa, and Van Buren counties, with high-waves and strong currents. Second, the NWS has extended the Small Craft Advisory from St. Joseph to GH. Windspeeds from 15 - 25 knots may produce waves from three to six feet in height, which is why there is that Beach Hazard Statement still in effect and why small boats should stay in port.

Speaking of warnings and alerts, I should have listened to my own inner-voice and not watched any of that fiasco that was supposed to be an NFL game between the 1 - 2 Bears and the 2 - 1 Browns. Rookie Bears' QB Justin Fields threw for 68 yards, but with nine sacks, he only netted only one yard in his first NFL start. That last happened in the NFL in 2009. With only 47 yards of total offense on 42 plays, it is going to be a long season in Chicago.

Speaking of long seasons, the Lions struggled to be competitive in their game versus the Ravens, but a late rally by the Ravens was a "Gut Punch" to the Lions, who lost the game, 17 - 19, to go 0 - 3 on this young season. It gets worse next Sunday, when the Lions travel to Chicago to "Play" the Bears in yet another game of minor-league football @ 1:00 p.m.

In other athletic news, the 4 - 0 Wolverines of MI defeated the 3 - 1 Scarlet Knights of Rutgers, 20 - 13 last Saturday. While it was a win for the Wolverines, Jim Harbaugh's squad should do better than just escaping with a six-point win. The Wolverines are @ Camp Randall Stadium in WI next Saturday @ 12:00 p.m. to play the 1 - 2 Badgers of WI who fell to the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame last Saturday, 13 - 41. 

The 4 - 0 Spartans of MSU also struggled to contain their opposition, the 2 - 3 Cornhuskers of Nebraska, escaping with a 23 - 20 victory last Saturday night. The Spartans have to play better to be considered a contender in both the Big 10 and the college bowl standings. The Spartans welcome the 1 - 2 Hilltoppers of Kentucky to "The Woodshed" in East Lansing, MI next Saturday night for a 7:30 p.m. game. 

The 2 - 2 Huskies of NIU soundly defeated the 1 - 3 Black Bears of Maine, 41 - 14. The Huskies' next opponent in Dekalb, IL, will be the 2 - 1 Eagles of Eastern MI next Saturday @ 2:30 p.m. 

In baseball news, my beloved Red Sox were swept by the Yankees over the weekend, as they fell to the Yankees last night, 3 - 6. The Sox are now second in the AL Wild Card race, one game behind the Yankees. The Sox are off until tomorrow when LHP Chris Sale, 5 - 0 makes his next start @ 8:15 p.m. EDT.

The Tigers seem to have a light at the end of that proverbial tunnel that is not a train, but they still fell to the Royals, 1 - 2 yesterday. The Tigers are home today @ 1:10 p.m. to face that other team from Chicago, who clinched the AL Central Championship yesterday. 

The Cubs are done at home this year, as they dropped another game to the visiting 87 - 69 Cardinals, 2 - 4. The Cardinals are finishing the season strong, but they could not overtake the Brewers who won the NL Central Championship. "Wait Til Next Year" is not the operative phrase for the woeful Cubs next year either, as they finish the season with all road games, three games in Pittsburgh and three games in St. Louis. The Cubs are also off until Tuesday night's game in Pittsburgh @ 6:35 p.m. EDT. The Cubs have some hope in their young pitchers for next season, but the overall picture looks bleak. 

I finished a novel yesterday and Mary made progress on her Halloween cross-stitch project. She utilized her time yesterday afternoon more productively than I did, stitching and listening to her own novel. Today, I have an afternoon P/T appointment for my yak and Ginger has an afternoon grooming appointment. That should be enough. Ciao.

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

We have a current temperature of 55° per my DTWS, but according to the NWS, it feels more like 50° with a wind out of the northwest @ 11 mph. We have reached our overnight low with that 55° reading. We have two weather related concerns to report about. 

First, is a Beach Hazard Statement in effect for Allegan, Ottawa, and Van Buren counties until Monday evening. High-waves and strong currents will pose a hazard to swimmers and people who choose to walk on the piers. 

Second, is a Small Craft Advisory from St. Joseph to Manistee, with windspeeds of 15 to 25 knots and wave-heights from three to six feet. The sun will rise this morning @ 7:36 a.m. and set this evening @ 7:36 p.m.

Today's high-temperature is forecast to reach 66° with an overnight low of 59°. I am at a crossroads with regards to my summer uniform of shorts and a short-sleeved T-shirt versus long jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. 

In Sports news, the only good thing to come out of Wrigley field yesterday, was the two-run home run, #28, in the bottom of the first inning of game one, by Patrick Wisdom. Cubs' manager, David Ross, noted that rookie RHP Justin Steele gained some valuable experience versus the red-hot Cardinals as he surrendered three home runs. Maybe, but that's only a slight plus. If he can't get the opposition out this year, why will next year be any better? Just asking. 

The Cubs and the Cards square off again today @ 2:20 p.m. EDT when RHP Adrian Sampson, 1 - 2, makes the start. Speaking of Sampson, I didn't read his name anywhere in the pitching plans for next season. Just saying.

My beloved Red Sox are now only one-game ahead in the Wild Card race, as they lost to the Yankees last night, 3 - 8. Today's game versus the Yankees is scheduled to start @ 4:10 p.m. when RHP Nick Pivetta tosses the first pitch for the Sox.

The Tigers didn't really fare any better than the Sox last night, as they fell to the Kansas City Royals, 1 - 3. Miggy got his 2,980th hit, but that wasn't a deciding factor for the Tigers. The Tigers and the Royals play tonight @ 6:10 p.m. EDT when rookie Tarik Skubal, 8 - 12, throws for the Tigers. I used the verb throws versus pitches, because his record indicates that he needs to be more of  pitcher than a thrower to be successful in the major-leagues.

College football has a full slate today, as the MSU Spartans, 3 - 0, welcome the Cornhuskers of Nebraska, 2 - 2, to Spartan Stadium @ 7:00 p.m. EDT.

The 3 - 0 Wolverines of MI, welcome the also 3 - 0 Scarlet Knights of Rutgers to "The Big House" in Ann Arbor for a game that begins @ 3:30 p.m. EDT.

The 1 - 2 Huskies of NIU host the 1 - 2 Black Bears of Maine in Husky Stadium in Dekalb, IL starting @ 2:30 p.m. EDT. 

We set out yesterday afternoon for a photo-shoot @ nearby Coopersville. That was after I walked STWD. I had originally wanted to go to Muskegon for some shooting there, but the Taste of Muskegon is going on and so we detoured to Coopersville. I got some nice shots while Mary and Ginger went walkabout. We joined up again after while and took a few more pix. While my plans were to take some pix on the southside of Coopersville, we ended up in the downtown area. Oh well, that allowed Mary to purchase some pumpkins for our Halloween front-porch display @ the outlet grocery store there, "Off the Tracks."

The local farmers contributed this bounty, for a price, to the store. It looks like an outdoor cornucopia. 

Mary selected two pumpkins for our front-porch display.

At first, I went walkabout alone and later with Mary and Ginger, for some pix of the downtown area and the railroad tracks and equipment that belong to the Coopersville and Marne Railway. All pix were shot with my 75 - 300mm lens using my newly received and installed lens hood to see how that would change things. I'll let you be the judge of any difference, but I think it helped limit the glare factor of the pix.

Although now relegated to museums, railroads used to have a caboose on every freight train. 

Not a rolling piece of the Coopersville and Marne Railway to be seen in this shot. 

I decided to capture this passenger car through a luggage cart.

The tracks run from Coopersville on the west, to Marne, in the east. 

Marne was the home of 1950s rock-star Del Shannon for part of his life. His life and music is now celebrated in Coopersville every August during the annual car show and Summerfest that bear his name. 

The Coopersville Hardware & Feed store has been in Coopersville for many years in its current configuration. The current owners discontinued the feed and flour mill and remodeled to focus on the hardware side of the store. 

Using these storage silos as a frame for this rolling crane. 

This windmill is in front of the farm museum.

Same, just more of the tower. 

This rusty rolling crane was what I framed in that earlier pic.

A storage and workshop for the railway?

A local resident has their own windmill. 

A switching engine for the C & M Railway.

Ginger near a fire hydrant. Stereotyping?

Today, I think college football, a little kitchen action, some music, and part of the indoor chores are on my to-do list. Mary will be joining in the fun too. I also have another crossword puzzle to solve and more reading of Stephen King's newest novel,  Billy Summers. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 8:00 a.m. in "The City", where the current temperature being displayed on my DTWS is a brisk 57° under cloudy-skies. We had some rain yesterday and late last night, but as of now, all we have in the way of a precipitation forecast from the NWS is for late tonight and into tomorrow @ anywhere from 90% to 99%.

We do have a Small Craft Advisory in effect  until 2:00 p.m. today from Holland to Manistee, with strong winds and high waves. 

In addition, there is a Gale Warning in effect for that same area beginning @ 2:00 p.m. today until 2:00 p.m. tomorrow, with wind speeds up to 45 knots and wave heights possible up to 10 feet! 

Of course, there is also a Beach Hazard Statement until tomorrow @ 11:00 p.m. The NWS is reporting that the water temperature of the "Big Lake" has dipped below 70° which adds to the danger for swimmers. The sun rose this morning @ 7:32 a.m. and it will set later this evening @ 7:41 p.m.

Since I am or was on the subject of  Gale Warnings, Beach Hazard Statements, and Small Craft Advisories, this looks like a good place to insert some pix I took when Mary, Ginger, and I visited the Grand Haven City Beach late yesterday afternoon before we made a stop for a pick up at that big-box nearly everything store. This was the first time in many months that Ginger was able to walk on the beach, since dogs are banned during "The Season" that runs through Labor Day. 

I got some great pix of the roiling waters, the lighthouses, some gulls, some kiteboarders who were surfing the waters of Lake Michigan, and Ginger as she returned to the car with Mary in tow. I had my camera set on automatic, with the 75 to 150mm lens installed on my camera as I varied only the settings of both the lens and the 4/3 DSLR camera to get these shots.

I think the sky made a nice backdrop to this man kiteboarding.

The Gale Warning was not yet in effect. 

This gull was sitting it out.

The waves were building while we visited.

The same kiteboarder in this shot and the next.

That's the outer lighthouse behind the kiteboarder.

These two surfers were just boarding with no kites. 

Ginger can never get enough walking nor of guiding Mary safely down the beach.

All in all, Mary loves the fall as much as Ginger, probably more.

In sports news, the Cubs are still struggling to find some reliable pitching, something that will have to be addressed in the off season. As of now, Cubs' manager David Ross believes that only tonight's starting pitcher RHP Kyle Hendricks, 14 - 6, and last night's starting pitcher, RHP Alec Mills, 6 - 7, are definitely in the rotation next season. That means that the Cubs will be looking in their mostly depleted farm system, the free-agent market, or trades for pitching help. Every team is looking for pitching, so.... The Twins defeated the Cubs and Alec Mills last night in a 4 - 7 loss for the Cubs. Tonight's game versus the Twins, begins @ 7:40 p.m. EDT.

My beloved Red Sox are red hot right now, having won six in a row. The also red-hot X-Man, Xander Bogaerts, contributed four RBIs last in last night's win over the Mets, 6 - 3. Journeyman RHP reliever Ryan Brazier, 1 - 1, picked up the win for the Sox. Tonight's game versus the Mets begins @ 7:10 p.m. EDT when LHP Chris Sale, 4 - 0, makes his next start. 

The Tigers have now won two in a row over that other team from Chicago, following yesterday afternoon's win 5 - 3. Yes my friends, the Tigers are for real, as they are beating some very good teams. The Tigers' win went to RHP Bryan Garcia, 3 - 2, in relief. Garcia is only 26 years of age and should be a solid reliever for the Tigers next season and beyond. Tigers' OF Victor Reyes had four RBIs for the Tigers. Today's game also begins @ 1:10 p.m. EDT when RHP Casey Mize, 6 - 7 takes the mound for the Tigers. Do I sound like a Tigers' "Homer" yet?

I had an uneventful appointment at the dentist yesterday and I am good to go until next spring. 

Mary and I were trying to decide what we accomplished yesterday, as we couldn't point to any one thing. I finished a book late last night, but that is about all that I can point to. Mary made lunch and dinner. I am reasonably certain that she made further progress on her cross-stitching project, but I forgot to look when I was downstairs earlier. I think a successful trip to the beach for a photo-op and a walkabout are also worthy of note.

Today on my agenda, I have no appointments and only the indoor chores that I put off until today. I will likely start another book and read the Tuesday edition of the Grand Haven Tribune and perhaps work the crossword puzzles from Monday and Tuesday too. I must play more music, but painting will have to wait for more sunshine. Mary will continue to do that voodoo that she do so well. Oh, right now, the Gandy-dancers are walking the tracks of the MMRR checking the rails and looking for ties that need to be replaced. I stand corrected. They are also checking the rails for parallelism and cutting out sections to be replaced. They never replace too much, making the tracks look like a railroad track quilt. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 8:30 a.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature of 70° that feels like 70° with a wind out of the southwest @ 15 mph. There was supposed to be a  Gale Watch in effect until 11:00 a.m. Thursday, from Holland to Manistee, but that has been canceled. 

However, there is a Small Craft Advisory in effect until tomorrow @ 8:00 a.m. for Allegan, Muskegon, Oceana, Ottawa, and Van Buren counties in MI that should keep small boats off of Lake Michigan. 

That Small Craft Advisory is accompanied by a Beach Hazard Statement for those same counties. High waves and strong currents will make swimming in the 71° waters and walking on the piers extremely dangerous. Windspeeds of 15 to 30 knots with gusts up to 35 knots may produce waves from four to seven feet and possibly up to 10 feet in height! The surf will definitely be up! The sun rose this morning @ 7:31 a.m. and it will set this evening @ 7:43 p.m.

What can I say? The 0 - 2 Lions will live up or down to expectations this season. They fell to the 1 - 1 Packers in Lambeau Field last night, 17 - 35. The Packers looked good, the Lions looked like, well, the Lions. 

Good news here in MI, as the Tigers displayed a glimpse of good things to come in baseball. Last night, they defeated that presumptive AL Central Champion other team from Chicago, 4 - 3. 

The Cubs were supposed to be a dynasty following their lone 2016 World Series Championship and look how that turned out. That other team from Chicago is expected to be a dynasty for the next several years too. However, with free agency and other factors, that will remain to be seen. 

Lots of teams should be good for many  years, but just look in Chicago at the Bears or NYC at the Yankees, or Houston and Astros or LA or San Diego or Seattle, or.. Well, you get the idea. Even the once high-flying Bulls in the NBA became at best mediocre when Michael Jordan left.

The Cubs play tonight @ 7:40 p.m. EDT versus the Twins, while the Red Sox go against the Mets @ 7:10 p.m. EDT.

My dental appointment went well yesterday and I have a follow-up today. Then I'm done for at least six months. I'm still doing P/T and home exercises for my yak.

I got into the kitchen yesterday to make two of my specialties, vegan Italian burgers and meatballs. However, Mary had already pressed some tofu, which we had as our dinner with a side of vegan noodles. I like that too, so it was not a tough call for me.

I am putting off the indoor chores until tomorrow to accommodate my dental appointment. 

Mary is making steady progress on her latest cross-stitch project, a pear, and it looks great as I pass it in the living room downstairs. 

So, that's enough for one day. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City", where the current temperature per my DTWS is  71° and according to the NWS, it feels like 71°, with a wind out of the southeast @ nine mph. The sun will rise this morning @ 7:30 a.m. and set this evening @ 7:45 p.m.

Later this morning, the NWS is forecasting a chance for showers and isolated T-storms beginning around 10:00 a.m. with a 51% chance and peaking @ 70% by 1:00 p.m. when I am scheduled for a dental visit, ramping up to scattered T-storms @ 2:00 p.m. with a peak of 51%. We shall have to see what happens here in GH, because the NWS often gets our forecast wrong when it comes to precipitation. Tomorrow there is still a strong chance for additional showers and T-storms. 

Right now, the NWS has issued two weather alerts for W. MI. First, is a Gale Warning from Holland to Manistee beginning @ 8:00p.m. tonight and continuing until 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, with wind-gusts up to 40 knots. 

Naturally, that Gale Warning is accompanied by a Beach Hazard Statement for the counties of Allegan, Mason, Oceana, Ottawa, and Van Buren in MI from this afternoon until the morning hours on Thursday. 

As an aside, the State of Michigan is very close to issuing a rule that would prohibit swimming when  the Red Flag is flying @ the beaches. As I've noted before, that does not sit well with the surfers, as they like the big waves that come with those Red Flag Warnings here on the "Third Coast." Given all that we have experienced here in MI with the Covid-10 pandemic and the illnesses and deaths that have accompanied that, I think it is a good thing to err on the side of caution. Surfers are generally good swimmers, but even they can get into trouble and require assistance from the GHDPS at a cost to taxpayers and that means that surfing is not a singular safety concern. Just saying.

Earlier yesterday afternoon, Mary and Ginger took a short walk to get some exercise. As they passed Central Park, they espied the various flags surrounding the fountain in the park that represent the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month here in GH. Here is a pic of those flags taken with the camera on our Smart Phone.  

In baseball news, we had a 4 - 0 day for me.

The Cubs saw the return of newly installed SS Nico Hoerner to the lineup following another stay on the IL. Hoerner is a Gold Glove 2nd baseman, but the departure of Javier Baez and the acquisition of Nick Madrigal, a true 2nd baseman in a trade with that other team from Chicago, means that Hoerner, who can play all over the infield and some in Center Field, would be better suited to the SS role. If not, due to Hoerner's tendency to land on the IL, the Cubs would have to get into the Free Agent bidding for one of the available shortstops this winter. That crop includes former Cubs' SS Javier Baez.

The Cubs beat the Brewers in Milwaukee yesterday, 6 - 4, with 30 yo rookie Patrick Wisdom hitting his rookie record-breaking 27th home run. LHP Adam Morgan got the win,  6 - 4. The Cubs are off until Tuesday, when the Twins come to town for a 7:40 p.m. EDT game with RHP Alec Mills, 6 - 6, on the mound for the north-siders.

My beloved Red Sox defeated the Orioles yesterday, 8 - 6, to maintain their  hold on the AL Wild Card lead. The win went to RHP Hirokazu Sawamura in relief as he got his 5th win versus only one loss. The Sox are also off until Tuesday night, when the Mets visit Fenway Park for a 7:10 p.m. start, as LHP 
Eduardo Rodriguez, 11 - 8, toes the rubber for the Sox.

The Tigers too were victorious yesterday, taking a game from the Rays, 2 - 0. RHP Wily Peralta notched his fourth win versus three losses. The Tigers will send RHP Matt Manning to the hill in Comerica Park @ 6:40 p.m. tonight for a game against that other team from Chicago.  

The Caps closed out their season in dramatic fashion yesterday, with a 19 - 4 win over the Lansing Lug Nuts in Lansing. 

In NFL football, the 1 - 1 Bears eked out a win over the visiting 1 - 1 Cincinnati Bengals, 20 - 17. Rookie QB, Justin Steele took over for veteran QB Andy Dalton who went down with a knee injury early in the game. Dalton's injury does not appear serious at this time, but he will need to be reevaluated to see how seriously his knee was hurt. The Bears are in Cleveland next Sunday to face the 1 - 1 Browns @ 1:00 p.m. 

Tonight, the 0 - 1 Detroit Lions face the 0 - 1 Green Bay Packers in Green Bay @ 8:15 p.m. I fear that the Lions are not going to be very good this season. 

Today, I have that aforementioned dental appointment and a pick-up at the library. With no crossword puzzle to solve, I plan to read more, perhaps work in the kitchen, and play some music. Mary will do that voodoo that she do so well. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 11:00 p.m. in "The City."

My DTWS is showing a current temperature of 67° here at the manse, while the NWS is offering as its current temperature, 65° that feels like 65° with a wind our of the east @ five mph. Our overnight low-temperature forecast from the NWS calls for 57° before we reach tomorrow's high-temperature of 81° under sunny-skies. There is no precipitation in the forecast at this time. Once again, the water temperature of the "Big Lake" is 71°.

Tomorrow morning, the sun will rise @ 7:28 a.m. and set tomorrow evening @ 7:49 p.m.

We had an errand to run in Muskegon/Norton Shores this afternoon after the indoor chores were done, so Mary took STWD for a short walk and then we got Ginger ready to go for the trip north. I also took along my camera, as Mary told me that after our errand, we'd be going to P. J. Hoffmaster State Park so that we could take a hike and I could shoot some pix. 

The weather was perfect and the scenery was spectacular, as always. The naturalist, John Muir, was once quoted as saying, "And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." After our little safari to P. J. Hoffmaster State Park today, I think I have a good idea what he meant. In fact, Mary stopped us on the trail we were on and pointed out how quiet it was. I believe that it was a great way to find our collective souls

At any rate, as I mentioned above, I took a lot of pix, so I'll just post some here that I think are the best.

Like many State Parks, Hoffmaster allows the trees to fall and decay where they fell. 

As long as they are not blocking a trail 

I find that pine cones make interesting subjects.

And sometimes, you get a shot of a shadow of one of the mysterious denizens of the forest.

With so many tree roots across the trails, all hikers need to look down and ahead with every step. 

The sun was very cooperative today when I took this pic.

Two more of those mysterious denizens of the forest. Not a clear shot, but definitely present.

So many trails, so little time. 

But, we walked nearly two miles through the woods. 

It was time to get home and feed our fur-children. Plus, I had to harvest dozens of cherry tomatoes from our vast gardens. Earlier in the day, Mary tossed a salad together that included some of the tomatoes from a previous harvest. 

Today's sports news was good, unless you are a fan of the NIU Huskies. They lost to the Wolverines of Michigan by a final score of 10 - 63. However, if you are a Wolverines fan, then you were ecstatic. 

If you are a fan of the MSU Spartans, as I am, the beat-down that the Spartans gave to the Hurricanes of Miami today in Miami was a sight to behold, as the Spartans crushed the Hurricanes, 38 - 17. 

In baseball news earlier today, the Tigers eked out a win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Miami, 4 - 3. Jeimer Candelario nailed a three-run homer in the top of the first inning to put the Tigers ahead, 3 - 0. But, the Tigers squandered that lead late in the game before the Tigers took the lead, 4 - 3, which led to the win for reliever and former starting RHP Jose Urena, 4 - 8, with the save going to Michael Fulmer in the closer's role. 

Sadly, the Tigers lost center-fielder Derek Hill to an injury. He was involved in a horrific collision at first base that led to an injury to his left knee. He will be evaluated further, but it is likely that he will be placed on the IL for the remainder of the 2021 season. The Tigers and the Rays close out their series tomorrow afternoon beginning @ 1:10 p.m. when RHP Wily Peralta, 3 - 3, starts for the Tigers. 

My beloved Red Sox are still in the hunt for a spot in the post-season Wild Card race, with a win over the Orioles today, 9 - 3. The X man, Xander Bogaerts, got four RBIs today en route to the win. Tomorrow's game with RHP Nathan Eovaldi, 10 - 8, on the mound for the Sox begins @ 1:10 p.m.

The Cubs fell to the Brewers in Milwaukee, 4 - 6 in a game that just ended. The Cubs and the Brewers play again tomorrow @ 2:20 p.m., when RHP Adrian Sampson, 1 - 2 goes for the Cubs. The Cubs are lacking an Ace pitcher and they are struggling to remain respectable following the departure of so many of their core players. 

The Caps dropped one earlier today to the Lansing Lug Nuts, 3 - 5. Tomorrow's game begins @ 1:05 p.m. in Lansing. 

From today's to do list, we got  the indoor chores done, the Friday crossword puzzle, that aforementioned watering, and the trip to the forest. Mary is still hard at work on her latest cross stitch project. I have no specific plans for tomorrow except to read more and relax following today's safari and errands. Perhaps that is the way it should be, a trip to the forest, music, painting, reading, and crafting. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 6:45 a.m. in "The City", where my DTWS is showing a current temperature of 64° under clear skies. That 64° will likely be our overnight-low temperature too. The NWS is forecasting a high-temperature for today of 78° under sunny-skies with an overnight low-temperature of 57°. The current water-temperature at the beaches here in GH is reported to be 71°.

The sun will rise this morning @ 7:28 a.m. and set later tonight @ 7:49 p.m.

Interestingly, Mary was out with the fur-children late last night and in her capacity as the Senior Staff Photographer for JaxMeanderings, she snapped this pic of the nearly full-moon and what is likely Venus or Jupiter too in the southwest sky, albeit with a bit more light-pollution than she would like to have. 

Amazing what the camera on a Smart Phone can do.

Earlier in the day, Mary took Ginger for a walk to the waterfront, a destination that she and Ginger had visited on Wednesday. Here is  pic from their Wednesday visit 

As I  noted earlier, it is amazing what the camera on a Smart Phone can do.

While they were out yesterday, I was busy in the kitchen making a blueberry pie. In keeping with the Smart Phone camera theme, here is a pic of my efforts as the pie cooled from the oven.

Yes, it is "My Pie!"

I finished that book I was reading, The Women of Lafayette Chateau written by Stephanie Dray. This book was recommended by the other member of our in-house book club, Mary. The story covers three  time periods, including the period surrounding the French Revolution, the WWI era, and the time of WWII, mostly in France and a bit in the US. I generally eschew books that have time-shifts as their theme, but in this case, while it was over 576 pages of fine type, I liked the characters and the storyline. So, I'll give it two-thumbs up. Now, on to some pulp-fiction. 

Sadly, baseball news yesterday was 3/4 not so good. 

The Cubs were in the lead for most of their game versus the Brewers, but they let the lead slip away and the game ended with a 5 - 8 loss for the Cubs. The Cubs and the Brewers meet again tonight @ 7:15 p.m. EDT when LHP Justin Steele, 3 - 3 goes for the Cubs. 

My beloved Red Sox handily dispatched the Orioles in Fenway Park last night, 7 - 1, as LHP Chris Sale was once again the Chris Sale of old in spite of having only one K. He was a craftsman as he shut down the Orioles to record his fourth win versus zero losses. The Sox and the Orioles play this afternoon @ 1:10 p.m. EDT

The Tigers were looking like they had their game versus the Rays well in hand last night in Tampa Bay until the ninth inning. That's when the Rays came roaring back from a 4 - 1 deficit to score the runs needed to tie the game The Rays went on to win the game by the final score of 7 - 4 in 11 innings. Today's game begins in Miami @ 4:10 p.m. EDT when LHP Tarik Skubal, 8 - 12 makes his next start for the Tigers. 

The Caps fell to the Lug Nuts 4 - 6 last night. Those two teams play again tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

In college football today, the NIU Huskies 1 - 1, visit the Big House in Ann Arbor, MI to play the 2 - 0  Wolverines of MI  @ 12:00 p.m.

The 2 - 0 Spartans of MSU, like the Tigers, visit Miami today too, as they play a game versus the 1 - 1 Hurricanes of Miami U, also @ 12:00 p.m.

I plan to do some indoor chores today along with more of my yak exercises to strengthen my core muscles. Mary is encouraging me by sharing the experience twice per day. Then I plan to sit and do  the crossword puzzle from the Grand Haven Tribune like I did yesterday, likely with more help from Mary. Otherwise, I need to water the outdoor plants today as it will be a warm one and the plants will need a drink as they head into their winter hibernation period. That's enough for one day. ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 5:00 a.m. in "The City."

My DTWS is showing a current temperature of 67° that matches what the NWS is reporting. In addition and also according to my DTWS, the current barometric pressure is 29.27" of Hg and rising, indicating fair weather ahead. The overnight low is likely to be that same, 67°. The water temperature in the "Big Lake" is 71° per the NWS.

Today's high temperature forecast from the NWS calls for 73° with an overnight low of 53°. The sun is slated to rise @ 7:25 a.m. and set late @ 7:54 p.m.

The only alert still in effect is a Beach Hazard Statement for Allegan, Ottawa, and Van Buren counties in MI until sometime tonight. 

Mary and I took a short safari yesterday afternoon that included a stopover at the beaches of GH. As forecast, the conditions were windy and Lake Michigan was roiling. I took along my camera and took some pix of the gulls, both sitting and in flight, along with the waves at the beach. All pictures were snapped with my wide-angle lens using varying settings.

The lighthouses on the south pier.

Gulls sitting and in flight.

A lone gull in flight against the cloudy sky.

One person could be seen enjoying a day at the beach, no swimming though.

Gulls in flight shooting east.

Shot looking east at the parking area.

This gull was landing on the picnic table.

While these gulls were just flying.

Of course, there is always baseball, at least for a few more games. a maximum of 17 for the Cubs and the Tigers. 

The Cubs were in Philadelphia last night where Adrian Sampson got his first win for the Cubs, 6 - 3. Patrick Wisdom, the 30 yo rookie 3rd baseman for the Cubs, got his 26th home run and tied the rookie HR record set by Kris Bryant in his first year with the Cubs, albeit Bryant was at the age of 23. Until this season, Wisdom had played short stints with three MLB teams and only signed with the Cubs shortly before spring training. Tonight, the Cubs send RHP Alec Mills, 6 - 6 to the mound @ 7:05 p.m. EDT.

The Tigers took 11 innings, which included a lengthy weather delay, to use a walk-off single to score the only run they needed to defeat the visiting Brewers, 1 - 0. The Tigers and the Brewers play this afternoon @ 1:10 p.m. EDT, when RHP Matt Manning, 3 - 6, tosses the first pitch. 

My beloved Red Sox needed a five-run eighth inning to overcome the Mariners in Seattle late last night, 8 - 4. Today's game begins @ 4:10 p.m. EDT when RHP Tanner Houck, 0 - 4, makes his next start. 

The Caps and the Lug Nuts were postponed last  night due to inclement weather.

We didn't get to everything we'd hoped to do yesterday, but I added to my latest painting effort, installed a shelf on my easel for canvas storage, played some music, assisted Mary with hanging her recently completed cross stitch effort in her craft room, helped Mary pick out the colors for her next project, and completed the indoor chores. So, while we didn't get everything accomplished that we'd planned, we got enough done to call it a good day. We also visited our auxiliary gardens for the final harvest.

Today's agenda includes more reading, more crossword puzzle solving, more cross stitching, and a visit to our new dentist for me. That should be enough for one day. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 9:30 a.m. in "The City."

Since I am way past my regular blog time,  I got distracted, I am going to truncate all of my information today.

Current temperature: 74°. Feels like 74° with a wind out of the south @ 17mph. Today's high temperature: 77°. Tonight's overnight low temperature: 61°. Current reported water temperature for Lake Michigan: 71° Sunrise today was @ 7:24 a.m. with sunset occurring @ 7:56 p.m.

Beach Hazard Statement in effect for most of the lakeshore counties due to high waves and strong currents. 

Small Craft Advisory in effect until tomorrow @ 5:00 a.m. from St. Joseph to Manistee. Wind speeds of 25 knots and waves up to seven feet are possible.

Cubs tonight in Pittsburgh @ 7:05 p.m. EDT

Red Sox in Seattle tonight @ 10:10 p.m.

Tigers home tonight @ 6:40 p.m. versus the Brewers.

Caps on the road @ Lansing Lug Nuts, 7:05 p.m.

Yesterday, made vegan pepperoni, came out very spicy. Topped Mary's pizza for dinner. Excellent on both counts. 

Read more of The Women of Chateau Lafayette, a book recommended by Mary. Liking it so far, but heavy on my arm.

Indoor chores today. 

That's all folks. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 7:45 a.m. in "The City", where the current temperature is 73° according to both my DTWS and the NWS, with a real feel of 73°. That's also our overnight low-temperature. with a light wind out of the south @ five mph. 

The current barometric pressure, also per my DTWS, is 29.27" of Hg and falling. That may indicate that the forecast for scattered T-storms/showers this morning @ 24% is accurate. The water temperature is 70°. The sun rose this morning @ 7:21 a.m. and it will set less than 12 hours later @ 7:59 p.m.

What happened to the Cubs yesterday? Once again, they played up to or down to expectations as they fell to the Giants, 4 - 15 as RHP Zack Davies saw his less than stellar 2021 record fall to 6 - 11. Cubs' manager, David Ross is expected to return to the dugout for today's game, which begins @ 2:20 p.m. EDT as LHP Justin Steele, 3 - 2 throws the first pitch. Wait until next century.

My beloved Red Sox took 10 innings, but they defeated that other team from Chicago, 9 - 8 to get the win for RHP Garrett Whitlock, who has a record of 8 - 3. Today's game versus that other team begins @ 2:10 p.m. EDT when RHP Nick Pivetta, 9 - 7, returns from the IL and tosses the first pitch. for the beloved.

The Tigers are still learning, as they lost to the visiting Tamp Bay Rays, 2 - 7. Starter and loser, RHP Casey Mize, 7 - 8, was pulled early after he proved to be ineffective. In addition, the Tigers are trying to limit the innings of their young pitchers following last season's shortened schedule, so it was not necessarily a bad thing that he got the hook from Tigers' manager A. J. Hinch. 

Today's starter, LHP Tarik Skubal, 8 - 12, is also likely to see fewer innings for the remainder of this season too, as he is also one of the young arms the Tigers' are counting on for several more years. Today's game begins in Detroit @ 12:10 p.m. EDT.

The Caps, took one from the Loons last night, 6 - 4. The Caps are almost even for the season, with a record of 56 - 57. Today's game on Fan Appreciation Day, begins @ 2:00 p.m. EDT.

The NIU Huskies were manhandled by the Cowboys of Wyoming, 43 - 50. I think I am safe in saying that this game was not a defensive gem for either team. The Huskies travel to "The Big House" in Ann Arbor, MI for next week's game against the 2 - 0 Wolverines of MI beginning @ 12:00 p.m. EDT. 

As long as I'm there, the Wolverines, 2 - 0, looked okay versus the Huskies of Washington, 0 - 2, last night in "The Big House." 108,345 rabid fans screamed at each other, daring the Covid-19 virus to strike them down in about two to three weeks if those fans were not vaccinated. While the Wolverines' defense played well, they also allowed some "garbage time" yardage for the Huskies QB too. But, the Wolverines did have two RBs get over 100 yards rushing, so...

The Spartans of MSU looked great against a team that they were expected to demolish, the Penguins of Youngstown State. The Spartans did their part in their 42 - 14 demolition of the Penguins. The Spartans play the Hurricanes of Miami next Saturday in Miami @ 12:00 p.m. EDT.

The 0 - 0 Detroit Lions are home today across the street from Comerica Park where the Tigers play, in a game versus the San Francisco Forty-Niners @ 1:00 p.m. EDT. It should be crazy in downtown Detroit today. Detroit's bars and restaurants will not be a good place to avoid the Covid-19 virus. Just  saying.

The 0 - 0 Chicago Bears are in L.A. tonight for a game versus the also 0 - 0 Rams @ 8:20 p.m. on national TV.

We were mostly homebodies yesterday. We did the indoor chores, I watered the vast gardens, and Mary made a delicious past sauce using many of the veggies we grew in out two plots this year. Dinner was excellent, as it was also accompanied by Mary's own garlic Bisquick™ biscuits.

We took a short walk to the Loutit Library yesterday for a book return and pick up. I took some pix while there and in Central Park on the way home. We had hoped to walk further, but my yak apparently needs more time and therapy, which begins next Thursday.

Loutit is a great library. 

Even their hydrangeas are still looking good. 

I wanted to try a shot through the tall grasses at Loutit.

In the southeast corner of the Loutit parking lot sits this fiberglass sculpture. I don't know if it is supposed to represent a boulder, a potato, or...

Several of the other flowers @ Loutit are still blooming in the sun too.

We followed the sidewalk to Central Park.

Where I got this picture of the late-afternoon sun streaming through the trees. 

Then we headed home towards the manse. 

Where Major Wheeler is still blooming.

But our new hydrangeas were in serious need of watering. They perked right back up with a little H2O.

Today, painting, I hope, reading the end of my latest novel, and cross-stitching along with reading the Grand Haven Tribune weekend edition and solving the crossword. Oh, I may watch part of the Lion's game and later, the Bears. We'll see. Ciao.