Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just after 6:00 a.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is 32° under mostly-cloudy skies with winds blowing @ 8 mph. The steady winds are making it feel like it is 25°. The current temperature is about 22° warmer than it was yesterday at this time. Not FL, but for Michiganders, a heat wave. Today's high is forecast to be that same 32°. The sun will rise today @ 7:41 a.m. and set later @ 6:17 p.m.

After my Irish Jam Session yesterday, more on that in a bit, Mary picked me up and we decided to go down and see the effects of that Gale Warning that was in effect until 7:00 p.m. last night. What we observed was that dozens of other Grand Haveners had that same idea. However, we all got to view the effects of those Gale Force Winds while we were there, Mary and I both think that there will be more than moderate beach and dune erosion all along the shores of the "Big Lake."

If you recall, I was betting that I could go to the south pier and the beach area and see idiots walking along the pier and doing their best to get swept into the water. Fortunately, we didn't see anyone foolhardy enough to be on the pier, but we did see some people willing to brave the wind and the blowing snow that was pelting the Grand Haven State Park during our visit for their own dune-top photo-op. Nice bit of alliteration, don't you think?

Those Gale Force Winds of 35 to 40 knots over Lake Michigan generated waves from 8 to 12 feet that were breaking over the beach area in a way that we'd never seen before. I didn't have my non-water-proof Olympus DSLR camera with me, so our Senior Staff Photographer handed me her Smart Phone and I snapped happily away with that. With some serious , or was it furious clicking, I recorded the picture below. Mary said that she has never seen "Her" that angry before. I have to agree.

That fence you see is at the edge of the parking area and those waves are both offshore and breaking onto the beach.

Areas north of here are reporting that their beach areas are eroding so heavily, that they are nearly gone. I fear that our own beaches, the one's that belong to the State Park and the one that belongs to the City of Grand Haven, will soon suffer the same fate.

On to more pleasant and less dangerous activities. As I mentioned yesterday, Mary schlepped me to my Irish Jam Session and then went about her business. She returned in time to check out a new to us vegan cookbook, one that she plans to purchase as she liked/likes it so much. She came down to peruse that book in the lobby outside Program Room A where are jam session was being held. Our session was well attended by both players of all ages and spectators alike. In her role as our Senior Staff Photographer, Mary snapped the picture below with her Smart Phone camera.

Many players, some professionals from local Irish bands were present and we sounded great.

I played and sang my newest song offering, Absent Friends, by the Furey Brothers finger-picking style and I believe that I sang the lyrics and played perfectly. I asked that several players join me to aid in keeping my tendency to go too fast in check. They did and added some nice accompaniments. I thanked them then and I thank them now. After our efforts, everyone applauded and congratulated me on my song choice and commented on how beautiful it sounded. Any musician/performer lives for those accolades.
As I mentioned, we made that beach run and then stopped at our favorite watering hole for a quick nosh. Due to one of our annual pub-crawls here in GH, the place was crowded, but we found a table in the corner. The crowds lasted for quite a while, causing people to stand and wait, but the throngs had thinned out by the time we left.

Today, we hope to go to the Spring Lake District Library to see another in their 3 - 4 p.m. Music by the Fireplace concerts, featuring the Michigan Mandolin Orchestra. The group is based in GR and plays at venues throughout Western MI. We've not heard them before, but we have never been disappointed by the library's musical choices.

This is a pic of the Michigan Mandolin Orchestra from their Facebook™ page.

I finished the novel that Mary had recommended, The Library of the Unwritten, by A.J. Hackwith late last night. In spite of the fact that it was outside my usual genre choices, and in spite of the fact that it was published in tiny typeface, well at least to my old eyes, I enjoyed the book. Lots of plot twists and turns and a satisfying ending. What's not to like?

I also watched two old movies starring Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca, and Key Largo. They are among my non-baseball and non-musical favorites. I know that most anyone of a certain age can do some of the  lines from Casablanca. But any rate, "Here's looking at you kid."

Otherwise, not much is on tap for today. I'll start another novel, this one in large-print format, and read the weekend edition of the Grand Haven Tribune and do the crossword. With a little help from Mary, I finished the Friday puzzle yesterday. Ciao.