Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 7:00 a.m. in "The City."

Today and tomorrow, we will experience high temperatures of 77° and 73° respectively, probably the last for 2019 here in GH. However, that gives me two more chances to enjoy my "summer uniform" as I like to think of shorts and a T-shirt. However, the chance to enjoy our patio umbrella will only exist today, as tomorrow, the NWS is predicting an 80% chance for scattered T-storms in the morning morphing into widespread T-storms in the afternoon. My uniform should be good for one more day.

The current temperature is 59° under clear skies. Today's high will be a full 17 degrees warmer than yesterday. The sun will rise today @ 7:41 a.m. and set later @ 7:28p.m.

Whew, what a weekend and I don't mean the Lions 30 - 34 loss to Patrick Mahomes in the last two minutes of yesterday's game, nor the Bears 16 - 6 win over the visiting Vikings, a win that will cost them the services of QB Mitchell Trubisky for several games, but which is not likely to be season-ending for Trubisky.

But on to more interesting events. We traveled to the beautiful lakeside town of Harbor Springs, MI Thursday through Sunday to attend the 4th annual Harbor Springs Festival of the Book. The festival and the village of Harbor Springs were so terrific, that we are already making plans to attend again next year. Collectively, we attended seven or eight events/panel discussions and came away with ideas and information from many nationally and internationally awarded authors. Plus, we were able to eat our lunch at a small place called Turkey's one day and on the magnificent waterfront of the village the next.

Of course, in our usual fashion, we found some places en-route that were also very scenic and photogenic too, like the Historic Pathways, Gardens, & Waterways located in the Manton, MI area.

A small roadside sign that we nearly missed on the road to Harbor Springs, announced the location.

Since it is fall, the plants are shedding their summer colors in favor of the winter seed pods.

This plant, which I assumed to be a mushroom was growing next to the gravel  parking area.

As inviting as any pathway we've ever encountered.

Another relative of the mushroom near the parking area?

A pathway that led deeper into the gardens.

Too bad there is no sound for this picture of a real "Babbling Brook."

As an amateur artist, I found this grove of aspen trees very photogenic. Once again, the lack of sound leaves only your imagination for complete enjoyment.

At least this plant was recognizable as a mushroom.

But I digress, as we drove through Petoskey, MI on our way to Harbor Springs on the other side of Bay Harbor, the view of the harbor was spectacular, albeit somewhat blocked by the local medical center.

Once again, a picture can't do the view justice.

Our hotel, chosen at random, turned out to be very comfortable and travel to and from the festival was easy if you followed the detour signs.

The renovated Lyric Theater in Harbor Springs was one of the venues for the panel discussions.

As was the Methodist church.

But, the local library was also used for that purpose too. We didn't attend a session there, but the library had an old-fashioned card catalog that has been replaced by a computer system. The library was established in the late 1800s atop what was the local post office, but which is now a fudge shop.

As Mary sadly laments, a computer search takes away the "opportunity" to "discover" books that are in the card catalog near what you were originally seeking.

As I mentioned, lunch on Friday was at Turkey's.

Turkey's

And on Saturday.

The picturesque waterfront of Harbor Springs.

Just before the panel discussion on The Many Faces of Speculative Fiction at the Lyric Theater.

The authors signing their books afterwards in the lobby of the Lyric.

But, there were so many things to see and photograph, that there just isn't room for them all. I did take some shots of the local Farmer's Market on Saturday before we visited the local Catholic church, also a venue site, for what are some great pix.

A well attended Farmer;s Market on Main St.

The altar of the Holy Childhood of Jesus Catholic Church.

And a view of the window area near the altar.

However, it is time to say adieu to our weekend in Harbor Springs for this year. The trip was a mini-vacation for us and when we returned to GH, it was time to pick-up the fur-children from their lodgings at the Grand Haven Animal Hospital. I think that they had a comfortable visit, but like us, I believe that they wanted to just click their heels and find that there really is "No place like home."

Ciao.