Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 12:30 a.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is 74°. Our overnight low is forecast to be 68°. Last night, there was no precipitation of note in the forecast, with the exception of Saturday, August 18, with only a  30% chance for T-storms. However, around 9:00 p.m. last evening, the NWS in GR issued a Special Marine Warning and a Special Weather Statement, both of which ended @  12:30 a.m. I listened to the thunder crash and tried to comfort STWD, but she should be okay now that the storm has mostly passed through. However, it is still raining. The sun will rise today @ 6:42 a.m. and set later @ 8:57 p.m.

I rode my bike to the movies yesterday to see the movie Yesterday. I won't spoil it for anyone, but I enjoyed it immensely. I'd give it two thumbs up. Of course, I had to have popcorn and a Cherry-Pepsi™ to wash it down.

When I got home, I made another batch of my soon to be famous spicy Coleslaw and a batch of my already famous vegan Italian meatballs. Mary was continuing her recuperation, but she felt strong enough to walk to the library and pick-up some books she had on hold. I felt the weight of the carry bag she took to haul her books and it was quite heavy.

Worthy of note, while I was out, Mary made a batch of salad-dressing that is composed of lime juice, silken tofu, and other "secret" ingredients. While she worked, she had an audience composed of the fur-children. Afterwards, when she settled in the chair to read, the fur-children settled in to watch. Here they are in a photo taken by our Senior Staff Photographer.

STWD "watches" from the couch, while Ginger watches from the back of that same couch.

In baseball news, the 62 - 52, 1st place in the NL Central Cubs, clobbered the 65 - 50, 2nd place in the AL West Oakland As, 10 - 1. Ian Happ got a grand-slam, the 8th of the season for the Cubs, something that they have not achieved since 1929. Starting and winning pitcher, Jose Quintana, 10 - 7, pitched well. Tonight, the Cubs are in Cincinnati to take on the 54 - 68, 4th plce in the NL Central Reds @ 7:10 p.m. EDT. Cole Hamels, 6 - 3, will get the start. The Cubs also signed 33 year old, 10 year veteran catcher, Jonathan Lucroy, who was recently released by the Angels. His signing was due to the injury to regular starting catcher, Willson Contreras.

My beloved, 60 - 56, 3rd place in the AL East Red Sox, are in a rain delay and tied @  4 - 4 with the 41 - 74, 4th place in the AL Central Royals. Will they resume play tonight? Maybe, but it seems unlikely that they will. The Sox welcome the 56 - 59, 4th place in the AL West Angels to Fenway Park tonight @ 7:10 p.m., when Chris Sale, 5 - 11, goes for the Sox.

The 33 - 78 and last place in the AL Central Tigers, lost another one to that 51 - 62, 3rd place other team from Chicago yesterday, 1 - 8. I know re rebuilding, but can't they field a team that is a bit more competitive than the one they are charging major-league prices to watch play? At any rate, the Tigers will be home tonight to face the 41 - 74 Royals @ 7:10 p.m. when Matthew Boyd, 6 - 8 throws his pitches.

Hey, the last place in the MWL East West Michigan WhiteCaps won a game over the 3rd place Bowling Green Hot Rods, last night, 3 - 1. The Caps will play the Hot Rods again tonight starting @ 7:05 p.m.

Since it rained and is still raining, I won't have to water today, That means that I can do some other things like music, art, and reading, Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 7:30 a.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is 65°, which was also our overnight low. There is currently no precipitation of note in the forecast for the foreseeable future, with the exception of Saturday, August 18, with only a  30% chance for T-storms. The sun will rise @ 6:41 a.m. and set later @ 8:58 p.m.



Baseball news yesterday was not so good, in fact, it was mostly bad.


The 61 - 52, lucky to be in 1st place in the NL Central Cubs and starting pitcher, Jon Lester, were hammered by the Oakland As yesterday, 4 - 11. In four innings of work, Lester gave up all 11 runs to the As, the first time in nearly seven years that that has happened. He vows to do better next time out... The Cubs and the As play today @ Wrigley Field, game time 2:20 p.m. EDT, when Jose Quintana takes the hill.

My beloved, 60 - 56, 3rd place in the AL East Red Sox, were dropped by the 41 - 74, 4th place in the AL Central Royals, 2 - 6. Once again, Andrew Cashner was the victim of his own underwhelming pitching for the Sox. The Sox and the Royals try again tonight @ 7:10 p.m. when Eduardo Rodriguez goes for the Sox.

The 32 - 77, last place in the AL Central Tigers, lost the first game of a double-header to that other team from Chicago, 3 - 5. However, they finally won a game, this one against that same other team from Chicago in the nightcap. 10 - 6. That other team has their own sub -.500 record of 50 - 61, but that's good enough for 3rd place in that same division. A battle of not so good teams for? The Tigers and that other team play again today @1:10 p.m.

The West Michigan WhiteCaps actually won a game yesterday, 8 - 0 over the Ft, Wayne TinCaps. The Caps are home tonight to face the Bowling Green Hot Rods @ 7:05 p.m.

Mary is well on the mend from her recent spider bite or insect sting, We had a great day yesterday as I fired up the Weber™ grill and roasted corn, sweet potatoes, vegan bratwursts, and portabello mushrooms. We each had one ear of corn, one brat, and the portabello mushrooms for our dinner.

I also went to my monthly Coffee and Coloring session at the Loutit District Library yesterday. Two hours can fly by when you are having fun. That was before going to the barber shop.

Today should be relatively uneventful. I plan to do some things around the manse that are not too strenuous nor smoky. Perhaps some kitchen things and some reading. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is 63°, which is also our overnight low. There is currently no precipitation of note in the forecast for the foreseeable future, with the exception of August 17, with a  40% chance for T-storms. That's way too far out to count on that. Thus, I believe that my new watering wand will be getting its second use today. The sun will rise @ 6:39 a.m. and set later @ 9:01 p.m.


Yesterday was a quiet day here in GH. The "Circus" has left town. By the "Circus", I mean the annual Coast Guard Festival is now in the history books. I think that this is the perfect place to insert a song by Jimmy Buffett entitled, When the Coast is Clear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIVVEvKOOgc


This is also the ideal place to insert another clip from Mr. Buffett entitled, A Pirate Looks At Forty. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=df1E4NJu7ng Why? Because I love both of those songs and I think that A Pirate Looks At Forty is a nice way to think about gently growing older.

Moving right along, Adam and Steph headed out yesterday morning after a great and relaxing weekend. They made a choice to get ahead of the returning traffic coming from the north and also to stop in New Buffalo, MI for lunch at The Stray Dog Bar & Grill. Both good choices. While Ginger will miss them, she needed the afternoon to rest and relax herself. When people come and go and pass steadily by the manse en route to the activities of a Coast Guard Festival week, she is ever on the alert. Very tiring.

Baseball news yesterday had only one bright spot.

The 60 - 51, 1st place in the NL Central Cubs, swept the 3rd place Brewers with a convincing win, 7 - 2. Yu Darvish looked sharp for five innings and got his fourth win against five losses. I won't bother doing the math, but @ $126 million for six years, that win was very expensive. The Cardinals lost yesterday, so that puts the Cubs 1.5 games ahead of the Cardinals as the Cubs welcome the 64 - 48, 2nd place in the AL West Athletics to Wrigley for tonight's game @ 8:05 p.m. EDT. Kyle Hendricks, 8 -8, will go for the Cubs.

Sadly, my beloved, 59 - 55, 3rd place in the AL East Red Sox, continued losing, this time to the 72 - 39, 1st place in the AL East Yankees, 4 - 7. David Price returned from the paternity list to allow seven runs in the third inning and was tagged with the loss. With the continuing ineptitude of Chris Sale, 5 - 11, and that of tonight's starter, Rick Porcello, 9 - 8, the Boston pitching staff is not a strength this season.

I also won't do the math for Sale, but he got a $45 million, four-year contract extension last off-season based on the results of his stellar 2018 season. The Sox welcome the 40 - 73, 4th place in the AL Central Royals for tonight's game @ 7:10 p.m.

Speaking of the AL Central, the 32 - 75, 5th place Tigers found yet another way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. They lost to the 57 - 54, 3rd in the AL West Rangers, 4 - 9. The Tigers and the Rangers were tied until late in the game and then.... The Tigers send Spencer Turnbull, 3 - 9,  to the mound for tonight's game against that other team from Chicago @ 7:10 p.m.

Once again, the 8th place West Michigan WhiteCaps fell to the 7th place Ft. Wayne TinCaps in a lopsided loss, 0 - 8. The Caps continue their series against the TinCaps tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

Mary had a good day in the kitchen last evening after we returned from the big-box arts and craft store in Norton Shores. This time, our trip was for some silk flowers for her Flower Room display. I didn't need anything.

Later, she made what I think was her best cast-iron skillet pizza to date. Everything came together perfectly, as the mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, nutritional yeast, mixed-blend vegan cheese, and Mary's favorite pizza sauce melded together. I hope she can reprise this pizza every time. She usually adds some vegan sausage, but I enjoyed it fine without, perhaps more. I loved her efforts immensely as we watched a romance movie. As you know, I love a good romance movie.

I finished my outdoor painting yesterday, allowing me time to do the watering of the Vast Gardens of the Palatial Estate today. We also need to go to the big-box nearly everything store too. Lots of staples need to be replenished in our larders.

I have a session of the Grand Haven Art Meetup @ the Loutit District Library this evening. I enjoy the chance to share my work(s) and ideas and learn some new techniques.

That's enough for one day. Ciao.

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."

The current temperature is 63°, and there is currently no precipitation of note in the forecast for the foreseeable future. Today the sun will rise @ 6:38 a.m. and set later @ 9:02 p.m. The days are quickly getting shorter as we wind our way through the "Dog Days of Summer."

Some of my more curious readers might like to know that the term "Dog days of summer" has nothing to do with dogs and everything to do with the Dog Star, Sirius. It's the time of year, according to Greek and Roman mythology, an astrological time connected with sudden T-storms, lethargy, mad dogs, and bad luck. I like to believe that the phrase simply refers to the hot/humid days in late summer.

We walked to the corner yesterday to watch part of the annual Coast Guard Festival Parade. This year's parade featured both new and old attractions. I took many pix, but Mary and I decided that a stop at JWs was a better use of our time before the appearance of the World Famous Scottville Clown Band at the end of the parade, so I have no new pix of them. However, I'll include some of the pix I did take below.

Our only "Flyover" this year was by the USCG helicopter.

Yes, the USCG have a global mission, but they provide local service to shores of Lake Michigan's and its environs

The USCG has its own Pipe Band.

As well as a regular marching band.

In the Tri-Cities area, Spring Lake High School also fields a great marching band.

As does Grand Haven High School and their Buccaneer Marching Band.

The parade also featured the marching band from Hesperia High School too. Hesperia is located in both Newaygo and Oceana counties, north and west of GH

The Northern Lights Marching Band is composed of home-schooled students from the Tri-Cities area.

The band is quite large.

As was this "Candy Cannon."

Baseball news yesterday was mostly bad.

The now 59 - 51, alone in 1st place in the NL Central by 1/2 game over the 2nd place Cardinals Cubs, used some great pitching by Cole Hamels who did not get the decision, as he returned from the IL. His relief corps, especially rookie Rowan Wick, held the battlements and the Cubs won the game over the 57 - 55, 3rd place Brewers, 4 - 1. Today's game begins @ 2:20 p.m. EDT, when Yu Darvish, 3 - 5, takes the ball.

I know according to the Cubs brass Darvish is pitching pretty good, but for a man earning $126 million over six years, a 3 - 5 record is not nearly good enough and he is a major league disappointment, pun intended.

My beloved, 59 - 54, 3rd place in the AL East and fading fast Red Sox, lost both ends of yesterday's double-header to the 71 - 39, 1st place Yankees, 2 - 9 and 4 - 6. Red Sox starter, Chris Sale, 5 - 11, still can't get it together and took the first-game loss, while Matt Barnes, 3 - 4, fared no better in the second game. The Sox are now 13.5 games behind the Yankees as they approach tonight's game @ 7:05 p.m., when David Price, 7 - 4, returns from the paternity list to make the start.

The 32 - 74, never had a chance Tigers, are mired in last place in the AL Central, 34 games behind the 1st place Twins. Next year is here! The Tigers take the field against the 56 - 54, 3rd place in the AL West Texas Rangers today @ 3:05 p.m.

To borrow from Tom Hanks in his Oscar winning performance in the movie Forrest Gump, "And that's all I have to say about that." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBIUKPeq4Y0. Of course, Forrest also said, "I'm not a smart man" too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msQdUw3jSjM.  

I think that hose two clips sum things up well.

The 35 - 75, West Michigan WhiteCaps are still looking for a way to win games, as they fell to the 49 - 60, 7th place Ft. Wayne TinCaps last night 4 - 7, to stay firmly anchored as the 8th place team in the MWL East. The Caps and the TinCaps hit the field this afternoon @ 1:05 p.m.

Otherwise, not much happened yesterday. Adam and Steph are enjoying some R & R here in GH and the fur-children are fine with that. We have been going about our business and they theirs, so all is well, to quote from the Town Criers of old.

So, that's all folks! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9434BoGkNQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItCdwdlYR1c

Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 4:30 a.m. in "The City."

There are no active advisories, warnings or alerts and the current temperature is 63°. Later today, @ 11:45 a.m. the annual Coast Guard Festival Parade steps off. The weather will be wonderful for the marchers, and watchers alike. We'll see sunny skies and a high temperature of 77° following our overnight low of 63°. The precipitation in the forecast for Tuesday, has been downgraded to a 20% chance for scattered T-storms. Today the sun will rise @ 6:37 a.m. and set later @ 9:04 p.m.


Once again, the 58 - 51, 2nd place in the NL Central Cubs, are just one-half game behind the 58 - 50, 1st place Cardinals, as the Cubs prepare for today's game against the 57 - 54, 3rd place Brewers who are two full games in back of the Cubs. That's following the Cubs victory over the Brewers yesterday, 6 - 2. Jose Quintana, 9 - 7, got the win. Today's game features the return of Cole Hamels, 6 - 3, from the IL list @ 2:20 p.m. EDT.


My beloved, 59 - 52. 3rd place in the AL East Red Sox lost to the 69 - 39, 1st place Yankees last night, 2 - 4. The usually steady Eduardo Rodriguez, 13 - 5, surrendered a grand slam home run in the bottom of the 1st inning and the Sox were unable to overcome that early deficit. The Sox are 11.5 games in back of the front-running Yankees as the Sox head into today's first game @ 1:05 p.m. when Chris Sale, 5 - 10 goes for the beloved. Game two of a rare double-header, which is a make-up for an earlier game lst to the weather, will begin @ 7:05 p.m., when lefty Brian Johnson, 1 - 1, goes to the mound for the Sox.

The 32 - 72 Tigers are so deeply in last place that they are 33 games behind the 62 - 42 1st place in the AL Central Twins. The Tigers starting pitcher, Tyler Alexander, 0 - 2, didn't pitch bad last night, but he still took the loss. Tonight's game @ 8:05 p.m. will see Matthew Boyd, 6 - 8 go for the Tigers. Wait til next year? Are the Tigers a rebuilding team? Put it on the board, YES!

Once again, the 8th place in the MWL East West Michigan Whitecaps lost a squeaker to the 3rd place South Bend Cubs, 1 - 2. The Caps stay in Indiana for tonight's game against the 7th place Ft. Wayne TinCaps @ 7:05 p.m.

Thursday, the southbound run of MMRR locomotives 2019 and 2025 took place @ 11:15 a.m. as I observed those locomotives towing only 13 CHCs. Yesterday, @ 11:28 a.m. Yesterday, those same locomotives passed by heading north, towing 15 CHCs, and three DBTCs. I should mention that locomotive #2025, while operating under the auspices of  the MMRR system, sports the livery of the Huron and Eastern Railway, another short-line railroad here in Michigan. Same color scheme as the MMRR, but with a different logo.

I made funfetti cookies yesterday following my epic cake failure of Wednesday. We/I have come to believe that the cake mix I used on Wednesday was old and so the self-rising flour didn't self-rise. That's my story and I am sticking to it. The cookies turned out great and so I redeemed myself, at least a little bit. 

Adam and Steph continue to visit and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Tri-Cities area and the annual Coast Guard Festival. They went to the Fuel Bar and Refuge in Spring Lake for dinner last night and they say it is everything that it has been reported to be. Great food made in a brick-oven that imparts a smoky flavor to the food.

Today, we plan to watch the Coast Guard Festival Parade by walking to the corner near the manse and then seguing to JWs as the parade is ending. I'll be taking my camera, but I'll be very selective in the pix I take. Before that, Mary wants to take me to the Coast Guard Festival Craft Fair, to see a lawn/garden sprinkler that is also a piece of yard-art that would look nice in our parkway garden.

Otherwise, not much is happening. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 6:30 a.m. in "The City."


Yes my loyal readers, you read that right, I stayed in bed until nearly 6:00 a.m today. But enough about me and my erratic sleeping schedule.

With no active advisories, warnings or alerts, the weather for today will be wonderful for the tourists and locals alike. Sunny skies and a high temperature of 78° following our current morning low of 57°. No precipitation is in the forecast until Tuesday's 40% chance for scattered T-storms. Today the sun will rise @ 6:36 a.m. and set later @ 9:05 p.m.

Let's just say that yesterday's baseball news was not good.

The Cubs dropped back into 2nd place as they fell to the 1st place Cardinals, 0 - 8 in St. Louis. The Cubs will be entertaining the 3rd place Brewers today in Wrigley @ 2:20 p.m. EDT.

A quick note. The late Mike Royko, a newspaper columnist in Chicago, had an ex-Cubs theory. He believed that any team with more than four ex-Cub players on their team, could never win the World Series™. I don't remember if he was right. However, the Cubs have added a player from the woeful Tigers, OF Nick Castellanos, to their roster. He started in right-field yesterday and...

My beloved Red Sox @ 59 - 51, are still mired in 3rd place after no trades and a loss to the 2nd place
Rays yesterday. 4 - 9. Tonight, the Sox are on the road to NYC to face the 1st place Yankees @ 7:05 p.m.

The 32 -72, last place Tigers had the day off yesterday before they open a weekend series in Detroit against the 4th place in the AL West Rangers @ 8:05 p.m. tonight.

The now 8th place West Michigan WhiteCaps fared poorly once again last night, losing to the 3rd place South Bend, IN Cubs in South Bend, 3 - 4. They Caps and the SB Cubs play again tonight @ 7:35 p.m. as Ben Zobrist takes the field for the SB Cubs and begins a tour through the minor-leagues to prepare for a possible return to the majors after being on the Chicago Chicago Cubs restricted lost for three months.

Otherwise, not much was happening here in GH. I made vegan Italian meatballs and vegan bratwursts before Adam and Steph made it safely to our home. They set out last night to enjoy the Coast Guard Festival activities later in the evening. I went to the media room and then to bed. I was tired as befits my advancing age. : - ).

Today, a possible visit to the Grand Haven City Hall for a presentation on the history of the USCG and that's about it. More reading and conversation are likely too. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 5:30 a.m. in "The City."

Once again, there are no active advisories, alerts, and/or statements in effect for today. However, we do have high pollen and mold counts.

My weather forecasting site shows a current temperature of 59°, however, the hourly forecast on that same site shows we'll drop to an overnight low of 55°. The sun will shine today after it rises @ 6:35 a.m. and well before it sets tonight @ 9:06 p.m.

Yesterday we walked to the farmer's market in the early afternoon, and then ran some later day errands, after Mary did the indoor chores and after I had another epic failure in the kitchen. I tried to bake a chocolate layer cake, but it never rose in my new cake pans so, it was consigned to the ash heap of kitchen history. I "forgot" to take any pix of my failure.

Fortunately, I was successful in making more spicy soy curls, which were too hot for Mary's tastes, but which for the fur-children and I, were like the porridge of the baby bear in Goldilocks, "Just Right!"

While we were running our errands, I traded in my tired, no longer running mechanical cuckoo clock, for a new to us mechanical regulator clock that chimes on the hour and half-hour. It only needs to be wound every three to four weeks, but like the cuckoo clock, it does require cleaning and oiling every two to three years. Here is a pic of that clock hanging on the wall where the cuckoo used to reside.

I like that it chimes, the way it looks,  and that it needs to be wound less often.

Also while we were out, we picked up a new watering wand at the Ace™ hardware in Spring Lake after we purchased the clock. The wand has a longer reach that should make watering the vast gardens much easier.

In addition, our last stop in Spring Lake was for flowers @ the Spring Lake Florist that are now making Mary's "Flower Room" much brighter under our new light fixture that was installed by John on Tuesday. I'll leave it to my loyal readers to decide which flower pic is the best.

One angle

Another closer angle.

A but farther away.

In this edition of my blog, I'm going to try to be more succinct about baseball. However, given that it was the MLB™ trade deadline, I may not be successful.

The 57 - 50, tied for 1st place with the Cardinals in the NL Central Cubs, had to scratch their way to that tie, with a 2 - 0 win over those same Cardinals, with the win going to Kyle Hendricks, 7 - 11, and the save going to Craig Kimbrel. At what was near to the trade deadline, the Cubs acquired OF Nick Castellanos from the Tigers and plan to use him in the corners of the outfield. The Cubs sent newly acquired catcher, Martin Maldonado to the Astros for infielder Tony Kemp. The Cubs have not surrendered the season as have many teams.

Tonight's game in St; Louis @ 7:15 p.m., will feature Jon Lester, 9 - 6, possibly along with Castellanos.

My beloved, 59 - 50, 3rd place in the AL East Red Sox, lost to the 2nd place Tampa Bay Rays, 5 - 8, as Rick Porcello, 9 - 8, trashed the clubhouse TVs in a fit of anger. The Sox are home again tonight @ 7:10 p.m. as Andrew Cashner, 10 - 5 overall, gets the nod from manager Alex Cora. The Sox believe that they have a solid team and thus, they did not make any trades. If you believe that the Sox are solid, I've got a bridge in... Well, you get the idea.

The 32 - 72, last place in the AL Central Tigers, soundly defeated the 56 - 54, 3rd place in the AL West Angels, 9 - 1, with Dan Norris, 3 - 8 getting the rare win. The game featured the debut of cather Jake Rogers, who was acquired from the Astros in the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Astros. Rogers got a home run and could be the Tigers catcher of the now and future. Only time will tell. The Tigers remain in Anaheim for tonight's game @ 8:05 p.m. when Tyler Alexander, 0 - 1, takes the mound.

The West Michigan WhiteCaps lost yet again to the 3rd place in the MWL East South Bend Cubs, 1 - 5. The Caps and the SB Cubs play again tonight @ 7:05 p.m.

Today's happenings include more kitchen work and more reading. In addition, our human-children, Adam and Stephany, will be coming in for a few days today. John will be by to finish installing the new light fixtures in Mary's craft room and the hallway just outside her room.

That's all folks, except for a couple of tunes by the Sir Douglas Quintet. I was waiting in the car as Mary bought her flowers, and I heard one of their tunes on the radio.

This is a tune by the Sir Douglas Quintet courtesy of YouTube™ This was the second hit by the Quintet, recorded in 1968 as they sing and play, Mendocino. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFbI8uVUFP4

I have also included another song from the Sir Douglas Quintet entitled She's About a Mover. I mistakenly thought that the Sir Douglas Quintet was a one-hit wonder, but they had at least one more as evidenced by this clip, also from YouTube™, of their 1965 recording. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt6w--5dToI&list=RDwt6w--5dToI&start_radio=1&t=0

The Sir Douglas Quintet was active from 1964 to 1973. Sadly, lead guitarist and singer, Doug Sahms, died tragically of a heart attack in 1999 at the age of 58.

Ciao.