Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 5:30a.m. in "The City."
Let's get the "dirty work" over right away. Our latest try at growing vegetables from seeds is an epic failure. While our seedlings were struggling to achieve mediocrity and things didn't look good, it was the big storm that blew through here Wednesday night that put the nail in their coffin, so to speak. Here is a pic of the now empty greenhouse and the dirt that was trying to support our efforts. All that is left are some dead seedlings, some empty trays, that dirt, and the need to buy new pepper, tomato, and tomatillo plants at the nursery. Sigh.

That same storm also caused our beloved Weather Dog, Sugar, to take refuge in the bathroom in the early morning hours yesterday. A few cracks of thunder was enough to send her there in panic. Later in the day, when she had calmed down a bit, the USCG ice breaker, Mackinaw, which is visiting our fair city for a couple of days, sounded its powerful fog horn. That sent STWD back to the bathroom, shaking all the way and neither Mary nor I could relieve her stress enough to get her to leave the room and its protective environment. Oh well, she is still the cutest dog on the planet.

As our Senior Staff  Photographer remarked, "She is really big!"

Since it was Thursday, it was time to run some errands and then await the concert by two Irish bands at the Loutit Library last evening, starting @ 6:00 p.m.

The opening act was Uneven Ground our locally based Irish Quartet of Tim Staudacher, Courtney Hutson, Dave Closz, and Larry Halverson. Several jigs, reels, and vocal tunes started off the evening in great style.

Left to right, Larry, Tim. Courtney, and Dave.

After a short intermission, the band One for the Foxes took center stage. The trio of Tadhg O’ Meachair, Joanna Hyde, and Dave Curley delighted the crowd with more jigs, reels, vocals, and fiddle tunes, many that will be featured on the bands upcoming album.

 

 

 

Left to right, Dave, Joanna, and Tadhg as they played for about one-hour.

Tadhg, on his electric piano

Husband and wife, Tadhg and Joanna, in a spirited duet, this time with Tadhg on the concertina or Irish accordion.

Joanna and Dave riffing on another tune

Dave as he played one of his own songs. He is a world-class multi-instrumental musician, singer and dancer.

Suffice it to say, that this trio is multi-talented and they will be playing in Michigan and around the country, including an appearance at the Michigan Irish Festival in September.

I thought that this was the perfect place to insert this clip from YouTube™ of the trio playing the song One for the Foxes, from which they got the name for their band. I hope you like it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XwJMnlRC5U

In the world of sports, the 22 - 13, 1st place in the NL Central Cubs, handled the 10 - 27, 5th/last place in that same division Marlins, yesterday, 4 - 1. The red hot Cubs and their third-baseman, Kris Bryant and 1st baseman, Anthony Rizzo, known as Bryzzo, teamed up to give the Cubs the lead and the win, as Bryant got on base and was driven home by Rizzo with a two-run home-run from his knees. Cubs' LHP Mike Montgomery, 1 - 0, got the win over the Marlins' RHP Trevor Richards, 0 - 5. Today, the Cubs welcome the 23 - 16. Later today, @ 2:20 p.m. EDT, the Cubs welcome the 2nd place, 23 - 16 in the NL Central Brewers to the Friendly Confines.

The 16 - 18, 3rd place in the AL Central Tigers, got five innings from LHP Ryan Carpenter, 1 - 2, as the Tigers were crushed by the 17 - 20, 4th place in the AL West Angels, 13 - 0. Comerica Park was mostly empty in Detroit, as the Angels demolished the Tigers. The Tigers travel to MN to face the

23 - 12, 1st place in the AL Central Twins, tonight @ 8:10 p.m. The Tigers will send RHP Tyson Ross, 1 - 4, against the Twins, RHP Jake Odorizzi, 4 - 2. It's gonna be a long season.

The 19 - 19 3rd place in the AL East Red Sox,were off yesterday. Tonight, the Sox welcome the 20 - 20, 2nd place in the AL West Mariners to Fenway park @ 7:30 p.m., as the Sox send LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, 3 - 2 against the Mariners RHP Erik Swanson, 1 - 3. Here's hoping the Sox are on a roll after their rocky start.

The 14 - 18, 6th place in the MWL East Caps, fell to the 15 - 18, 6th place in the MWL West Cedar Rapids, IA Kernels, 4 - 8. The Caps and the Kernels play again tonight @ the Fifth/Third Ballpark beginning @ 7:05 p.m.

Mary got her Mother's Day card from our children in Chicago on Wednesday. In honor of Mother's Day, we plan to take a walk in the woods on Sunday afternoon at the nearby Hemlock Crossing County Park. If all goes according to plan, we'll participate in a Beginner Bird Walk with our trusty camera.  Here's hoping that the weather cooperates.

Otherwise, John finished the mud-room painting yesterday and it looks great. His next room is one that is near and dear to my heart, my office/weather center/art studio. A complete color change that will take several days. I think that Mary and I will be visiting one of the garden centers for some replacement vegetable plants. Ciao.