Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 9:00 a.m. and well past the sunrise of 8:03 a.m. in "The City. 

Speaking of the sun, it will set tonight @ 6:55 p.m. The current temperature is either 48°, as per my DTWS, or 57°, as per the NWS, which also shows the "Real Feel" temperature to be 56° with a six mph breeze out of the south. I've never seen such a disparity in those temperature readings before, thus I have no explanation. However, both the NWS forecast and my own WW observations do concur. The blue-sky is mostly sunny with scattered clouds hither and yon. 

I just have to get in a baseball comment NOW! 

My beloved Red Sox routed the Astros last night, 12 - 3, to go up two games to one in the ALCS, as LHP Eduardo Rodriguez pitched enough innings to get the win. The Red Sox went on a rampage, beginning with a six-run second-inning that included a record-setting and historical third Grand Slam off the bat of Kyle Schwarber. Never before in post-season history have there been three Grand Slams. I could say more, but I think I'll just sit back and savor the sensation of going up 2 - 1 over the Astros. Game four is tonight in Fenway Park @ 8:08 p.m. EDT when RHP Nick Pivetta tries to emulate the superb pitching of Rodriguez last night as the Sox try for a commanding 3 - 1 ALCS lead.

I had an early P/T appointment, well early for me @ 10:00 a.m. yesterday and it went well. In fact, it went so well, that we were able to get out to Hofma Preserve early yesterday afternoon with Ginger, fresh from her grooming appointment and looking very sharp, for a hike on a new trail Our trip was a great photo-op with my 75mm to 300 mm lens mounted using various settings. Here are some samples of my efforts.

Our trail into the forest primeval.

The sunlight came through just enough to let me capture what I was seeing. 

In this view, the sun was having a harder time penetrating the canopy.

Same shot with different settings.

In scene mode, this shot was suggested by our Senior Staff Photographer. 

One sunlight spot seemed to dominate this shot. 

I love shots of gnarled roots and limbs mixed with sunlight.

Along the way, this bloom called out to me.

As did this one.

The only mushroom I espied on our hike.

This shot was more difficult looking into the sun.

Shooting east from the trail with these tree branches as a frame.

A fallen tree with sunny highlights caught my attention.

Back at our vast gardens, the sweet-pepper plants are offering a final tribute to a great growing season. 

I've been meaning to capture this shot of one of the aphid-eaten leaves of our giant hibiscus, Pink.

Mary is making progress on her cross-stitch efforts. I fell asleep when she was upstairs working while sitting in her favorite sunlit window while "reading" her book. She got the call to pick up Ginger, but when she came down, I was fast asleep and so she had to change her plans to travel direct to Hofma Preserve with me and Ginger. She had to return with Ginger to retrieve me from my slumber and then after Mary took a quick walk with STWD, we were off.

Today is another day of indoor chores, a visit to the veterinarian for STWD and Ginger, and more of whatever comes our way. Oh, let's not forget that there is baseball tonight at Fenway Park. Ciao.