Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be. It is just past 5:30 a.m. in "The City."

I wasn't going to get up and blog, but somehow, Ginger had other plans. She insisted that she go out around 4:00 a.m. and so that meant that I was getting up. She did her duty and so now I am sitting here with a keyboard and CoasttoCoastAM. Oh well, that's the way the dog biscuit crumbles.

When I was outside, I learned that the temperature is pleasant enough and according to the NWS, the temperature is 68° under partly cloudy skies. Later today, the temperature is slated to rise to 79° with a 20% chance of precipitation. Thursday, the chance of showers/T-storms increases to 40%. I should be able to skip watering today and maybe, just maybe, I won't have to water Thursday.

Speaking in a tangential way, my watering has produced a good crop of zucchini and cucumbers along with a bumper crop of green bell peppers. Our Roma tomatoes are also maturing nicely.

I probably let the zucchini get too large, but by grating one fruit, I was able to make two loaves of zucchini bread yesterday along with whipping up a cucumber salad with Mary's assistance. These tow loaves were the first zucchini bread that I have ever baked.

Here are two pictures of the zucchini bread, the first as they were cooling in the pan and the second as they continued the cooling process, sans baking pans.

By way of additional information, I didn't take a picture of the cucumber that had also gotten too large and required seeding prior to the salad preparation and eating dinner that consisted of that salad and my version of Mary's vegan Italian style sausages. This is the second of my zucchini harvest and two of the Roma tomatoes.

I made it to my drawing class last evening, and I think I am improving. More to the point, I am enjoying myself trying a new endeavor. Last evening, we used easels to draw two pictures of a live model. I also took the second loaf of zucchini bread to the gallery for all to enjoy. I had already sampled the one we kept and it tastes great. When you are retired, you can never have too many hobbies. I now can enjoy reading, playing with the girls, baking, gardening, and anything else that I choose. I used to do woodworking, but I don't miss it.

Sports news yesterday was an interesting study in the futility that has become the hallmark of the Detroit Tigers, who lost to the Royals 1 - 3 en route to remaining in 4th place in the AL Central, five games ahead of that other team from Chicago. The Tigers and the Royals play tonight @ 7:10 p.m.

Since I am on the subject of that other team, let me segue to the Cubs victory over that team, 7 - 2. That gives the Cubs a chance to either split the four game series or to actually take the series. The Cubs have an NL Central record of 52 - 47, one-half game behind the Brewers.

Willson Contreras continued his hot streak at the plate, going 3 for 4 including a three-run homer in the bottom of the first inning to go along with a hot day for Ben Zobrist, who also went three for four in support of John Lackey. For only the second time in his entire baseball career, from T-ball to the major leagues, Kris Bryant got tossed from a game for arguing a strike call by the home plate umpire. The Cubs once again try to defeat that other team tonight @ 8:10 p.m.

Speaking of a team in serious need of a spark, my beloved Red Sox fell again to the Seattle Mariners by a final score of 5 - 6. The Sox are still in 1st place, albeit with a tenuous hold on that position with only a one game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. The Sox and the Mariners meet again today in Seattle @  3:40 p.m.

The Caps had the day off and are still in 1st place by two games over the Ft. Wayne TinCaps, tonight's MWL East opponent @ the Fifth/Third Ballpark in GR @ 7:00 p.m.

Today, indoor chores, some grocery shopping, a stop at the veterinarian's office for some Heartgard™ chewable's for Ginger and more reading. I would like to get in some time with the girls after the morning safari as Mary cotinuse indexing, crafting, and cooking. All of those activities after the morning safari. Ciao.