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 64° under cloudy skies. Our overnight low will be same.

That Small Craft  Advisory remains in effect until 5:00 p.m. this evening. Plus, another Beach Hazard Statement will be in effect until 12:00 p.m. today. Rip Currents, and waves will make swimming in the "Big Lake" hazardous for anyone foolish enough to leave the beach and venture into the water. Naturally that means the the surfers will be out.

I heard the southbound passage of the morning run on the RSTL yesterday @ around 9:30 a.m. Later, @ 12:46 p.m., I witnessed the northbound passage of MMRR locomotives #2019 and #2025 as they towed two CHCs, four DBTCs, and two DWTCs, one with a gray stripe around its mid-section. The only explanation I could find on the internet for that gray stripe was that the stripe indicates some sort of corrosive cargo is, was, or soon will be on board. Hydrochloric and sulfuric acids as well as cyanide are three such cargoes.

We traveled to Holland yesterday to see the Tulip City Gem and Mineral Show sponsored by the Tulip City Gem and Mineral Club. It was fascinating to see the myriad varieties of rocks and minerals that had been collected by club members and also to marvel at the sheer number of minerals that have been part of this planet since it was formed millions of years ago.

I was fascinated by what I learned was a Coconut Geode of the Mexican geode family. This geode is, called  a Geothite due to its black or brown rod-like internal crystals. The first geode I selected didn't split properly when the purveyor tried, so I selected a second. That split worked much better. The seller gave us the one that didn't spit well and that one is on display on Mary's desk, while mine is on the picture shelf in my office.I learned that the lighter the rock, the larger the internal cavity will be.

Since I had eschewed bringing my regular camera, I was fortunate that our Senior Staff Photographer had brought her Olympus TG-6 camera with which she took numerous pictures at the show. Later, she also took some pix of the geodes on display @ home.

The show, the 50th in the club's history, was held in the Holland 's Soccer Stop Sportsplex.

It is truly amazing the huge variety of naturally occurring rocks and minerals found on Earth.

Same here.

The geode that did not split properly on Mary's desk.

And the one that did, on my office shelf.

The Earth has much to offer that is all too often not appreciated by humankind in their search for "Valuable Minerals" such as gold, silver, diamonds etc.

Speaking of appreciated, the 79 - 68, all alone in 2nd place in the NL Central cubs, crushed the 65 - 83, Pirates by two touchdowns and a field goal yesterday, 17 - 8. In a game that turned into a slug-fest, Jon Lester got the win. Nico Hoerner in his first at-bat in Wrigley field and on the first pitch he saw, hit a home run. If he can keep it up, he should help the Cubs down the stretch. Today's game features Kyle Hendricks on the mound for the Cubs @ 2:20 p.m. EDT.

My beloved 77 - 70 3rd place in the AL East Red Sox had the day off yesterday before they open a series tonight against the 76 - 70, 3rd place in the NL East Phillies in Philadelphia. Eduardo Rodriguez makes the start for the Sox @ 7:05 p.m.

The 43 - 103, 5th place in the  AL Central Tigers lost to the almost as hopeless 48 - 99, last place in the AL East Orioles, 2 - 6. Once again, Jordan Zimmerman took the loss to move to a 1 - 11 record on the season. The Tigers and the Orioles try again tonight @ 6:10 p.m. when Dan Norris, 3 - 12 takes the mound for the Tigers.

The Spartans of MSU take the field today in East Lansing @ 4:00 p.m. when the ASU Sun Devils come to call.

The Huskies of NIU are in Nebraska to play the Cornhuskers of Nebraska @ 8:00 p.m. tonight.

Today, we plan to go to Hemlock Crossing for a presentation about Monarch butterflies, followed by a walk. Hopefully, the walk will be in the meadow rather than in the wet and mold-filled woodlands there.

In addition, John will be by to finish the painting in the manse and I will be grilling some corn, vegan brats, portabello mushrooms and ??? Ciao.