Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 3:00 a.m. in "The City." That's because we lost an hour of the night to Daylight Savings Time.

In another surprising turn of events, I was able to reset my Citizen™ Eco Drive Watch to reflect the new time reality. What's not to like?

We have a current temperature of 36° as rain continues to fall across the Tri-Cities area. You only need a squeegee, not a shovel, so that's all good. In fact, the temperature will remain in the mid-30s overnight, so there is no chance of snow nor ice.

In Mesa, AZ, the current temperature is 51° under clear skies. Today's high will be 73° under mostly sunny skies.

In Ft. Myers, FL, the current temperature is 69°, also under clear skies. Later today, the Red Sox will be enjoying a high temperature of 86° under partly-cloudy skies.

In Lakeland, FL, the Tigers have a current temperature of 70° under partly-cloudy skies. Later today, the high should reach 86°, also under partly-cloudy skies.

Well my loyal readers, I made it. I drove to Hemlock Crossing for my lesson in acrylic painting without incident. To say I made it without some white knuckles would not be entirely true. I felt like I was a teenager again, just learning how to drive my parent's car. The return trip on the back-roads went more smoothly.

While I was at Hemlock Crossing, with the tutelage of Nancy Berg, a retired art teacher and a part-time naturalist and art teacher for the Ottawa County Parks, I created a suitable for hanging acrylic painting of a stand of birch trees. I learned a lot and also came away with a renewed appreciation for how hard artists work. I have included a photo of my efforts, taken by our Senior Staff Photographer, Mary, with her Smart Phone. Current plans call for my painting to be hung on the wall of our foyer, just as soon as the walls get repainted to a more warm and non-green Golden Gate, like our living room, but with an accent wall.

I can be my own worst critic, but I think that my efforts were rewarded by a quality outcome.

While I was out, Mary was a busy bee. She did the indoor chores, made pizza dough for tonight's dinner, and also put a very tasty vegan lasagna into the oven for lunch. Using Tofutti Brand™ ricotta substitute and a recipe from one of her numerous cookbooks that needed to be "Veganized" the end result was delicious. Plus, it looked good too.

Later, we traveled to the Cooks Store downtown to pick up a utensil for incorporating vegetable shortening into my pie dough along with a spoon rest for Mary and me when we are cooking, after a stop @ the library. Then off to Spring Lake for some adult beverages before heading home to avoid the rain that began falling around 5:30 p.m. We fed the fur-children and got them to go out before the rains began in earnest. Both Mary and I each coaxed them out one more time before they refused to go.

Did I mention that the Spartans of MSU defeated the Wolverines of Michigan in men's basketball last night, 75 - 63?

Today, if we are so inclined, we may return to Spring Lake and the library there to see an Irish band called Peat in the Creel. We have seen them play at the Kalamazoo Irish Festival, and we enjoyed them. Here is a sample of the band playing two tunes at O'Mulder's Pub in Alto, MI., Farewell to Erin  and Tam Lin, from YouTube™. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2wIN-_h88I I hope you enjoy them too.

Otherwise, no plans other than to do some cooking, some TV watching, and  some crossword solving. I am now caught up and only the puzzle from the weekend edition of the Grand Haven Tribune awaits my attention.

I also read more of my current novel, The Plot Against America by Phillip Roth. I am still fascinated by the story-line. I encourage everyone to read this book, first published in 2005, as a reminder of what inattention and inaction can bring.

So, the sun will rise this morning @ 8:05 a.m. and set later @ 7:45 p.m. ciao.

.