Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just before 3:00 a.m. in "The City."

 

Our current temperature is 65° under what I'd call partly-cloudy-skies, based upon my observation out the WW. Our overnight low will be 60°. This morning will be mostly-sunny and this afternoon the high temperature will reach 76°. The sun will rise today @ 6:58 a.m. and it will set later tonight @ 8:36 p.m. 

We had a great day yesterday. We made that trip to the big-box arts and crafts store in Norton Shores, where I got the additional items I "needed" for my painting hobby, including some additional canvases. I think I'm done buying now, but somehow, I never seem to be. Sigh.

We also made it to Coopersville too. A busy day to say the least. Mary did the driving, allowing me to take pix along the route, both coming and going. The only problem we encountered was the accumulation of bugs on the windscreen. If you travel through farm country, you will meet bugs as they end their short existences.

 

Within the city limits of Coopersville, this car awaits riders on the Coopersville and Marne RR.

These engines are part of the "Rolling-Stock" of the Coopersville and Marne.

If you blink, you miss the city limits.

Rusty but trusty?

Ironic, in that the only trains to cross in Coopersville are those of the Coopersville and Marne RR.

As we left beautiful downtown Coopersville, we espied these cars parked on the outskirts of town.

I doubt that they could get past this fallen tree branch.

Since we were out by Coopersville, we also visited a park that we had previously visited late last spring. I took some pix, but as Mary observed, in many ways the park was more beautiful covered in the ice and snow of late-winter/early spring.

The park we visited for the second time.

Out the open side-window of our Renegade.

As you may recall, there is something appealing to me about unused playground equipment.

Same here.

Farm silos are ubiquitous throughout Michigan, as is corn.

Many farms have fallen into disuse as farmer's children move out and move on.

But many are still working farms too.

But enough about Coopersville and its environs. Baseball news beckons.

The once again in 1st place in the NL Central Cubs, are precariously holding on to a 1/2 game lead over the Cardinals who lost to the Brewers. I sat down to watch the game last night shortly after its beginning, only to see the score 0 - 2 in the top of the 1st @ Wrigley. Once again, Yu Darvish was serving up home run pitches like they were free hors d'oeuvresduring at happy hour. I got to see the Cubs tie it up, but then fell asleep. I awoke when the score was once again knotted @ 5 - 5, but promptly fell asleep once more. 

 

Fortunately, IF Kris Bryant got a 2 run home run in the bottom of the 8th and the Cubs won over the 63 - 64, 3rd place in the NL West Giants. The Cubs and the Giants play this afternoon when Kyle Hendricks faces former Cubs hurler, Jeff Samardzija, @ 2:20 p.m. EDT.

My beloved, 3rd place in the AL East Red Sox, are marking time in the AL East, as they lost yet another game. They would have to erase a seven game deficit to make the Wild Card playoffs. The Sox lost to the 66 - 60, 4th place in the NL East Phillies, 2 - 5 in yesterday's game. Rick Porcello, 11 - 10, had nothing for the Sox. The Sox play a suspended game against the 45 - 82, 4th place in the AL Central Royals today @ 1:05 p.m. The game was suspended on August 7, due to weather. 

The 38 - 56, 5th place in the AL Central Tigers used a strong performance by Buck Farmer, 5 - 4, to defeat Astros' ace Justin Verlander, 15 - 5, 2 - 1 yesterday. Verlander is a former Tiger who pitched well, but still lost the game, to the Tigers. Tonight, the Tigers send Jordan Zimmerman, 1 - 8 to the mound @ 8:10 p.m.

A side note, the Tigers have decided to shut-down their prize draft pick, pitcher Casey Mize, for the remainder of his rookie season in the minors. No health problems were cited, but he and others are the future.

The 43 - 84, 8th place in the MWL East West Michigan WhiteCaps took a squeaker from the 75 - 50, 3rd place Great Lakes Loons last night, 7 - 6. The Caps and the Loons play again tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

Today we have nothing on tap other than whatever comes to mind. Tonight, we are going to another concert @ Seven Steps Up, in Spring Lake to see Scott Mulvahill, an artist with whom we are not familiar. As this clip from YouTube™ demonstrates, Mulvahill is a terrific young talent, both on his upright bass and vocally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-xco7k_mS0

 

Ciao.