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."

A current temperature of 32° feels like 32° with a slight wind out of the north @ 2 mph. That 32° will be our overnight low under skies that are clear. Today's high is forecast to reach between 53° and 55°, also under clear skies.

Here in GH, we don't get lulled into a false sense of security, as the NWS has issued yet another Small Craft Advisory that goes into effect @ 7:00 p.m. tonight and which will remain in effect until 4:00 a.m. early Thursday morning from St. Joseph to Manistee. 

Wind speeds out of the south up to 30 knots will propel waves south of Holland  on Lake Michigan from three to six feet in height, while north of Holland, the winds will cause wave heights to reach from six to nine feet! Don't ask me why, "Cause he don't know", to quote lyrics from that song and that sixties musical, Hair. 

The song was made popular in 1969, the year I graduated High School, by the family musical group, The Cowsills. That group was the inspiration for the TV show, The Partridge Family. If you are interested, The Cowsills also charted with the songs, The Rain, The Park and Other Things, and Indian Lake. At any rate, as I often like to do, here are The Cowsills, performing Hair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3qhle8Oy9s

But now that I have once again digressed, as is often the case, let me post about the things that happened  yesterday.

Mary and I took STWD to her doctor to have a growth on her head examined. We adopted STWD in early 2007 when she was estimated to be about 11 months of age. She has been my baby ever since. So, we believe that she is about 15 years of age. 

As you may recall, Sugar and I have a special bond that is very strong. I was very nervous about the outcome of her examination, especially since due to the Covid-19 precautions, I couldn't be there with her. Sugar's doctor checked the growth on her head, did a chest X-ray, and checked her vitals. While the growth on her head is some form of canine melanoma, her chest X-ray was fortunately clear, indicating no spread. So, she is scheduled for surgery tomorrow morning to have the growth removed and then have the tissue biopsied at Michigan State University's school of veterinary medicine. I have my fingers and toes crossed. I cannot say more at this time, but I'll keep my loyal readers posted.

After we returned from Sugar's doctor, we read more of The Last Days of John Lennon and worked on the weekend crossword puzzle.

I made more vegan Italian meatballs and a lone burger. Mary used some of the meatballs in our dinner. I went upstairs to add more paint to my canvas and to do some coloring. When I get upset, I retreat to my studio for peace. Mary knits and cooks. I followed suit this morning by going down to the kitchen and doing some cleaning, emptying the dishwasher, and having a bowl of Kellogg's Rice Krispies™.

Today, we have indoor chores and given the weather forecast, a likely walkabout with our fur-children. It's also likely there'll be more painting and music for me and more knitting and listening to me read for Mary. 

The sun will rise this morning @ 7:06 a.m. and set this evening @ 6:44 p.m. Ciao. 

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. 

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."

The current temperature is 22° and it feels like 22° with a wind out of the northwest @ two mph. In fact, that 22° is our overnight low as we approach the sunrise today @ 7:13 a.m. As the day wears on, our high-temperature is forecast by the NWS to reach 38° under sunny-skies. That's before we drop to the overnight low on Friday of 21° after the sun sets @ 6:39 p.m.

Once again, we have no watches, advisories, nor alerts in the forecast. 

Not much happened yesterday. What can I say, the best laid plans and all that. Mary finished her latest knitted hat. I was used a s a human yarn swift to allow Mary to wind the ball for her next project, and the fur-children barked at whatsoever or whomsoever dared to occupy the same space and time continuum as our manse and their home. 

We almost went out for a photo safari, but unlike some of my camera-toting brethren, I eschewed the chance based on my aversion to temperatures out of the human comfort-zone of 68°F to 74°F. I chalk that reticence up to too many years of having to work in less than ideal conditions during snowy and cold winters and hot and muggy summers. Like many people, I prefer spring and fall.

I read more of my latest novel, The Prodigal Son an Orphan X  novel, by Gregg Horwitz. With some assistance from Mary, we completed the crosswords from the Tuesday edition of the Grand Haven Tribune too. I got in a few sessions of harmonica practice, and we watched TV. Mostly, I just spent time being retired and counting the days until our second Covid-19 vaccination and our own self-proclaimed Independence Day from the virus, April 1, 2021.

Today, once again, not much will be happening  We may take a walkabout with the fur-children, I may go to the man-cave for more painting on Mary's potting bench and I may play more music and do more painting of something on my easel. Is that a full day? It is for me. 

Mary wants to cast on another knitting project for which her yarn stash has provided the raw materials. She purchased some new double-point needles recently that have given here knitting habit new life. 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.

The current temperature here in the Tri-Cities area is  28° under clear skies. It feels like 20° with a wind out of the north @ nine mph.

Today's afternoon high has been forecast by the NWS to reach a rather brisk 36° under sunny skies, before we plunge to a seasonal overnight low of 22°. 

We have no watches, advisories, nor warnings in effect at this time. The sun will rise @ 7:15 a.m. and set this evening @ 6:38 p.m.

Did you ever wonder if having hands large enough to palm a basketball could produce unintended consequences on a keyboard? I don't have to wonder, as I know the answer, they do. 

At any rate, after I'd done some painting and shortly after Mary and Ginger returned from their run to that big-box nearly everything store yesterday afternoon, we went walkabout at the Lake Forest Cemetery with our fur-children. Ginger's low-slung body got a bit muddy, while STWD got wet paws, but overall, it was great to get out and enjoy a sunny afternoon amongst quiet neighbors. 

While we were there, and after we came back to the manse, I snapped some pix of things that I found interesting. 

Like playgrounds, empty flower baskets surrounded by snow are a sure sign of winter.

Pines in the cemetery are forever trying to establish their dominance.

Spinning merrily, this pinwheel is one of the offerings people left for their loved ones. 

Like the Wicked Witch of the East, the cemetery snows are melting. 

In every direction. 

I used the shadows of a tree trunk to add interest to this pic of twigs tossed up by snowplows. 

At home, the snows are also retreating, revealing the daffodils of spring.

The daffodils find a way to poke themselves out as early as they can.

Leaves and dried plants from last year, are no deterrent to the determined daffodils. 

Today, I plan to read more, play some music, do a crossword or two, and stay inside as much as possible. Mary will do some crafty thing or another and hopefully, she too will try to stay inside. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 1:30 a.m. in "The City."

We still have that Small Craft Advisory in effect until 6:00 a.m. this morning from St. Joseph to Whitehall. Those same 15 to 25 knot winds will still be gusting to 30 knots and they will still be pushing waves from four to seven feet.

Our current temperature is 36° under clear skies, but it feels like 27° with a south wind blowing @ 16 mph. Our overnight low is forecast by the NWS to drop to 34° before we rise to today's high of 41° under mostly sunny skies. The sun will rise this morning @ 7:16 a.m. and set this evening @ 6:37 p.m.

Today was a much belter day for me, at least when it comes to feeling as though I had accomplished something. As you  may recall, I made those vegan Italian meatballs early yesterday morning, which became part of our spaghetti and meatball dinner ala Mary. I also made those aforementioned Funfetti cookies and we collectively finished the indoor chores. 

We read more of The Last Days of John Lennon and I just finished my latest novel a short time ago. It is amazing what you can do when you get up early.

A short time ago, we couldn't get an appointment to get our Covid-19 vaccinations, and now we are being bombarded with emails asking us to schedule an appointment. I think that the change in presidential administrations has had an overall positive effect. 

However, there are too many governors willing to remove part or all of the restrictions on indoor gatherings at restaurants and stores and removing the requirement for mask wearing. So, we are very concerned that a mutated virus might get into the mix and render our vaccinations moot. 

Today, I plan to get into my studio and do some of those artsy and musical things that I've been unable to get to recently. I have a painting on my easel that I'm trying to finish, I've got some music that I'm trying to properly arrange, and of course, there is always something that needs doing around This Old House, AKA "The Manse."

Mary is making steady progress on her latest knitting project too. We may try to get out with our fur-children for a walkabout on a sunny day. Maybe enough snow has melted at the Lake Forest Cemetery so that we can go there and not be disturbed by Covidiots. 

If you stay late enough, you get to see both passages of the trains on the RSTL, At 9:17 p.m. last night, I watched as MMRR locomotives 2170 and 2019 passed by heading south, towing seven CHCs, and 10 CGCs, all loaded.

I just watched as those same locomotives passed by deadheading north, with no cars in tow @ 1:52 a.m.

To quote Porky Pig, "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 8:00 a.m. in "The City", where the sun rose @ 7:18 this morning and it's well before it sets @ 6:35 p.m. this evening.

We have a current temperature of 19° that feels like 11° with a south wind blowing @ six mph. All of that is under skies that are sunny and clear. 

A new Small Craft Advisory goes into effect @ 11:00 a.m. this morning until 6:00 a.m. tomorrow from St. Joseph to Whitehall. Windspeeds of 10 - 20 knots with gusts up to 30 knots, will propel waves of five to eight feet along the eastern shore of the "Big Lake." 

I've just returned from a session in the kitchen of the manse, where I took some time to create more vegan Italian meatballs. I also refilled several of our spice jars and cleaned up after myself so that Mary can create our brunch. 

I prefer getting up early and working without our fur-children underfoot, while Mary prefers to stay up late and watch TV and knit or cross-stitch without me underfoot.

As you may recall, I made vegan pepperoni yesterday morning in hopes that Mary would whip up some pizza dough and then a pizza for dinner. My wish was granted.

If you look closely, you'll see onions, green peppers, vegan pepperoni, mushrooms, oregano, nutritional yeast, or NOOCH, and non-dairy ricotta cheeze, atop augmented pizza sauce and Mary's homemade crust and ready for the oven. 

And here is the pizza, fresh from a 450° oven and delicious!

I never got to the man-cave yesterday. I'm not sure what I did, but that's okay, because between the pandemic and retirement, I've got lots of time for that later in the week.

Now that I've already made those meatballs, I'll have enough time to bake more Funfetti cookies and do the indoor chores. As I said, time is less of a constraint than it used to be.

Otherwise, I have no need to go outdoors until tomorrow, when the high temperature is forecast by the NWS to reach 41° under partly-cloudy skies. By then, we should be able to go walkabout with our fur-children and like that lyric from the song Born to be Wild and made famous by the 60s band, Steppenwolf, we can do whatever comes our way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egMWlD3fLJ8

Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 5:15 a.m. in "The City."

We have a Small Craft Advisory in effect until 4:00 a.m. tomorrow from St. Joseph to Manistee. Winds from 15 to 25 knots with gusts up to 30 knots will cause waves from to seven feet in height along the shores of the "Big Lake."

The NWS is reporting a current temperature of 33° that feels like 24° with south winds blowing @ 13 mph. 

The sun will rise this morning @ 7:20 a.m. and set this evening @ 6:34 p.m.

Not much happened around here yesterday. I went to the man-cave and worked on Mary's potting bench. Sanding, prepping, and painting were part of my totally enjoyable activities. I have more to go, but se won't be needing her bench until late April or early May.

Oddly enough, I found that I had everything I needed to complete my tasks, from sanding disks, to clamps, to glue and wrenches. I also had two colors of paint and paintbrushes. That's unusual since I don't have many of the tools that I used to be able to reach for. However, that dearth of tools has caused me to become more creative, so that's probably a good thing.

I came upstairs to find that Mary was in her office knitting on a new hat. Although I understand most of what she was describing, I knew just enough to know that I could understand that she was at a crucial point in her efforts, so I wisely stayed downstairs and did some reading. 

When she came down, we went to the library to pick up some books and then off to the gasoline station to refill the car. It has been many weeks since I last had to perform that task, as we don't drive very much. We have had this car for over two years, and we have yet to reach 9,000 miles. That low mileage is due in large measure to the Covd-19 pandemic and our need to avoid long distance travel. You can't rack up too many miles with runs to the big-box nearly everything store and the local grocery store, supplemented by trips to the library, the waterfront, etc. 

Last night, Mary shared a movie with me that she had previously watched, entitled 84 Charing Cross Road. It was both a romance and a period piece set in the years following WWII, with scenes in both England and America. I liked it and it was an enjoyable way to spend about one and one-half hours of our evening before dinner. 

I was downstairs earlier and whipped up some vegan pepperoni and some Coleslaw. Mary now has choices for meals, but I am hoping for some pizza. 

Otherwise, today I will be going to the man-cave once again and also doing more reading. That's about it for me. Mary will be knitting and other crafty things. Ciao.