Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is
just past 8:00 a.m. in "The City." 

The current temperature is 44° under partly-cloudy skies, with winds of 14 mph that make it feel more like 37°. Today's high is forecast to be 47° with a 20% chance for more precipitation. As the day progresses, the NWS is predicting those partly-cloudy skies to continue throughout the day. 

As I gaze out the WW, I must disagree withte NWS forecast. The sun is shining brightly in mostly cloudless skies.

The Gale Warning issued by the NWS, ended earlier this morning @ 12:00 a.m. The sun rose today @ 6:55 a.m. and it will set later @ 8:32 p.m.

While we no longer have a Gale Warning, it has been replaced by a Small Craft Advisory in effect until 5:00 p.m. today. Southwest winds up to 30 knots early with waves of 5 to 8 feet, will subside to 3 to 6 feet from St Joseph to Manistee. Surf's up early dudes and dudettes!

Like most days of the last five or six weeks, yesterday was much like the day before, except that I was in the vegan kitchen cooking a much-improved version of my once again famous vegan Italian meatballs. We had some to go with the pasta that Mary made for dinner last evening and I can attest to the improvement over my last batch.

Earlier while I was in the vegan kitchen, Mary had taken STWD for a short walk and when she returned, she waited for me to finish my kitchen activities and then I accompanied she and Ginger for a longer stroll through the wilds of GH.

I took along my trusty Olympus DSLR camera to record whatever struck my fancy, so I'll include some of my fancies here.

This shot and the next show one of the effects of the mandatory shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Construction/remodeling projects are on hold until the ban is lifted.

Sadly, we were walking past when I am am normally at my monthly Irish Jam Session.

The parking area for the shuttered Loutit District Library afforded these young people a place to ride their boards in safety.

As we walked, Ginger had to sniff everything that had been previously visited in what to her was virgin sniffing grounds. She had to stop numerous times to read her messages and to return some too.

Cute as ever!

An oft visited post and a dog. Nuff said!

A fire hydrant and a dog. Stereotyping?

Since we were downtown, I took a shot of the very light traffic on Washington Ave. both pedestrian and vehicular.

A sunny Saturday afternoon in April has always been busy in GH, but not today.

Along the way, I took some additional shots of Dewey Hill and the dormant stack at the someday to be demolished GHBLP Simms Power aPlant on Harbor Island. That demolition was scheduled to begin in June, but it is probably on hold due to that aforementioned mandatory shutdown.

The stack juxtaposed with the also quiet chimney at the library.

Quietly awaiting its fate, the stack stands guard duty over Harbor Island.

By the by, here in the Tri-Cities area, gasoline prices continue their free fall. The local big-box nearly everything store and their associated gas station, is offering regular unleaded for $1.15/gallon. However, if you are out and about, the price in nearby Spring Lake is 1:05/gallon. But wait, there's more! I saw a report that showed the price in Muskegon to be .98/gallon! Unreal.

Today, I have plans with the light winds to do some yard work. Not much, but enough to get some of the leaves cleared away from our Hostas growing along the edge of our shared driveway. I also have plans to plant some of my seed potatoes behind the garage and just let them grow. 

I'll start some indoor chores too. I have no plans for the kitchen and I am still in the waiting period for the transplantation of my seedlings currently doing well in the man-cave.

I may get around to reading more and playing with the girls in my studio along with adding more paragraphs to my manuscript. I like how my thoughts are getting on paper right now. I want to continue coloring a picture that I am working on now, but as is always the case, my mentor and coloring guru, Kerry, has outshone me while providing a goal for my efforts. She is indeed a gifted colorist! This is her latest effort. I can attest to the long number of hours she must have devoted to this bird picture.

Mary will also read more, color more, possibly work in the kitchen, open the latest boxes "safe" from the internet e-tailers and whatever strikes her fancy too. If we feel it., we may take a short walk with the fur-children for their benefit and ours. Ciao.