Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 3:20 a.m. in "The City", where my DTWS is displaying a current temperature of 41.2° versus the report from the NWS of 38°, under skies that are cloudy and which are also supposed to be delivering snow-showers. 

The NWS is also forecasting an overnight low-temperature of 37° with a current "Real Feel" temperature of 38° with a wind out of the northwest @ three mph. They are also forecasting a high-temperature today of 41° with an overnight low-temperature of a chillier 34°. In between, that forecast calls for rain and/or snow-showers this morning. What can I add except to state with certainty that the sun will rise later this ayem @ 7:59 and set this evening @ 5:10 p.m.

I was downstairs a short time ago, and I can report that Mary is making excellent progress on her cross-stitching. The square depicting a hearty stew is nearly complete. 

I finished the Christmas stockings for our fur-children yesterday with some assistance from Mary and her steam iron. I had already finished our own stockings earlier this year.

Tomorrow night, the 11- 1 overall, 8 - 1 in the Big10 East Michigan Wolverines, face the overall 10 - 2, 7 - 2 in the Big10 West, Hawkeyes of Iowa in the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN  @ 8:00 p.m. '

That will present only a slight conflict for the folks attending the annual Jingle Bell Parade here in GH which winds through downtown beginning @ 6:00 p.m. and then ends with speeches and the Christmas Tree Lighting in Central Park. We may make it this year, weather permitting. If we make it, I hope to get clearer pix in the relatively bright downtown, versus the darker Central Park. I'm up for the challenge. Maybe.

Otherwise, we have nothing specific on today's agenda. I'd like to go walkabout with our fur-children, but the 90% chance for those rain/snow-showers this morning may make me change my mind. Wet terriers are not very attractive in many ways. 

I would paint more, but the lack of natural light in my studio makes that problematic. I guess I may have to settle for music, reading and... 

By the by, I just started another book, one recommended by Mary. She purchased a hard cover copy, but she also listened to it in audio form too. This book is entitled Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding In Plain Sight, written by Julia Sweig. After only a few pages, I am hooked. Mary will likely continue listening to her latest book and adding to one of her cross-stitch projects. 

One further aside. I mentioned the other day that we'd had the crew come by and do a final fall clean-up of the leaves that had blown in from Central Park and other locations. Well, it was like shoveling excrement against the tide, because, "They're Back!" Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 10:00 p.m. in "The City." We have a current temperature on the deck of the manse of 40.5° with a wind out of the northwest blowing @ 10 mph according to the NWS. That wind makes it feel like 33°. The NWS has extended the Small Craft Advisory for areas along the shores of Lake Michigan from St. Joseph to Manistee until 12:00 a.m. tomorrow, but they anticipate that another one will be issued sometime tomorrow due to an incoming weather-front. Currently that Small Craft Advisory is in effect due to winds of 30 knots and wave heights up to seven feet.  

The sun will rise tomorrow morning @ 7:57 a.m. and set tomorrow evening @ 5:11 p.m.

As of now, my DTWS is showing a barometric pressure of 29.45" of Hg and falling, while the NWS is reporting 29.45" of Hg and rising. Go figure. Our overnight low is forecast to be 34° with tomorrow's high-temperature reaching 48° with an overnight low-temperature of 44°. We anticipate a few warmer days this week which would allow me to get to those outdoor Christmas decorations that I had planned for today. Instead, I did two crossword puzzles before I walked STWD. Then we traveled to the Kerstmarkt in Holland, where we purchased some new ornaments for our tree. Before we added those to our tree, I took some pix.

Kerstmarkt is Dutch for Christmas Market.

Looking west.

Same direction, different angle.

As I said, we purchased some additional ornaments for our tree.

The aforementioned Chicago Cubs, Covid-19, and Gnome ornaments

Since we were out and I had my camera, we stopped off at the City Beach of Grand Haven to get some shots of the setting sun and other sights to be seen there, including our Senior Staff Photographer.

Our Senior Staff Photographer contemplating the waves on the "Big Lake."

 

Our Senior Staff Photographer likes this one better. I think that any shot with her in it is a good shot.

The sunset was gorgeous!

The strong winds were an impediment to the flight of this lone gull. 

I especially like this sunset pic.

Once home, along with the pix of the new ornaments, I took some pix of our themed Christmas tree and the ornaments that are part of that theme. Here is one of those pix. 

As usual, our Christmas tree displays ornaments feature places we've visited, activities we've done, and other things that capture our whimsical way of thinking.

All in all, it was a great day. 

I hope to get to those outdoor decorations tomorrow along with some indoor chores, more music, some painting, and other sundry things. Maybe I've put too much on my agenda. We'll see.

Mary continues to listen to her latest book, Where the Deer and the Antelope Play, written and narrated by the author, Nick Offerman. She shared some of the book with me, and it is very interesting. I'll check it out at the library when it becomes available. 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", where the current temperature is 32° under skies being reported by the NWS as foggy. However, a glance out the WW shows it to be clear and dark. Of course, once the sun rises today @ 7:55 a.m. and long before it sets @  5:11 p.m., I may get to see that fog. 

The NWS is reporting that the wind is out of the northwest @ five mph, which means that the "Real Feel" temperature is 25°. We have reached our overnight low-temperature of 31° before we rebound to today's forecast high-temperature of 43° with an above freezing low-temperature of 33° later tonight.

The NWS has extended that Small Craft Advisory from St. Joseph to Manistee until 12:00 a.m. tomorrow, with wind-speeds of 30 knots and waves up to seven feet.

I stayed home yesterday afternoon while Mary went out to drop off Ginger for a grooming appointment, a stop at the small-box grocery store, and a visit to one of Mary's favorite hiking places, Hofma Preserve. I have it on good authority that she got lost in the woods at Hofma. Maybe John Muir was right when he famously said, "Into the woods I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." While there, Mary used the camera in our Smart Phone to snap a picture of a woodpecker in a tree. We're not 100% sure of the type of woodpecker, but we think it was a Dryocopus or Pileated Woodpecker, which though rare, is native to Michigan.

Against the leaden sky as the snow moved in, it was hard to tell the species. 

Here is a color picture of that type of woodpecker, courtesy of Green Nature™ and Google Images.

At any rate, Mary came back to me after a little guidance from another couple hiking in those woods and a bit of luck. We watched the end of the fall leaf clean-up as the crew removed the last of the leaves that had blown in from Central Park. Mary had to go back out to pick up Ginger and on the way home, they detoured to our auxiliary garden plot to check to see if there had been any visitors digging up our garlic. None had.

Mary came home with Ginger and Mary then assisted in the final set-up of our Christmas tree. I had left the final arrangement and very decorative placement of the items on the nearby credenza that we like to display for the Christmas holiday, many of which were handmade by us. That was back in the before-times, when we could get out and go to Hemlock Crossing for their annual create your own ornament session. Once again, the Covid-19 pandemic that is raging here in Michigan got in the way. I don't have any pix of the tree, yet, as they will wait for the placing of our outdoor displays later today. See the next blog for those.

Earlier yesterday, I finished one novel, played my guitar, set-up the Christmas tree, and took STWD for a short walk. That was about the end of my energy reserves. Mary did make more of her world famous secret ingredient pasta sauce in the Crockpot™ which she started when she came home and which we enjoyed for dinner with some of my vegan Italian meatballs.

Today, all that awaits me are those outdoor decorations and more music and reading. Mary is still listening to a book and cross-stitching. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 11:00 p.m. in "The City", where my DTWS is displaying a current temperature of 37.8° on the deck of the manse. That parallels the reading being offered by the NWS from GR of 37°. The NWS notes that it feels like 31° with a wind out of the northwest @ seven mph. Tonight's low is forecast to drop to 31° under cloudy-skies. 

We had strong winds today, but they have tailed off this evening. Plus, the snow that was falling earlier has also ebbed. Tomorrow's high temperature is forecast to reach 42° with light winds and an overnight low-temperature of 34° and snow and rain in the evening. 

The NWS has continued that Small Craft Advisory from St. Joseph to Manistee until 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, with waves from three to six feet possible. 

The sun will rise tomorrow @ 7:53 a.m. and set tomorrow evening @ 5:11 p.m.

Great news yesterday, as the 8 - 1 in the Big10 West Wolverines of Michigan, hammered the also 8 - 1 in the Big10 West Buckeyes of Ohio State, 42 - 27. While the Wolverines and the Buckeyes have the same conference record, it is the two losses suffered by the Buckeyes overall versus the one loss of the Wolverines to the Spartans of MSU that allows the Wolverines to travel to Indianapolis for the Big10 championship game next Saturday night versus the 7 - 2 in the Big10 East Hawkeyes of Iowa. 

The MSU Spartans were victorious yesterday too, as they defeated the Nittany Lions of Penn State, by a close score of 30 - 27. The Spartans will get a bowl bid, so they have had a good season which included that win over the Wolverines. 

Mary and Ginger went walkabout in Duncan Woods earlier this afternoon before moving on to a stop at that Big-Box Nearly Everything store. More than ever, the term "Nearly Everything Store" applied, as their stock was depleted on several of the items that Mary was seeking. 

While they were gone, STWD and I made more vegan Italian burgers and meatballs. 

Tomorrow, I plan to set up our Christmas tree for the season followed up by our outdoor decorations on a warm 41° in the forecast, good for outdoor activity, day. 

Mary is working on yet another cross-stitch project along with the one she is stitching for the season. Her next project will be for spring.

That looks like 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 5:00 p.m. on a partly-cloudy day here in "The City." The sun will set shortly @ 5:13 p.m. and rise tomorrow @ 7:51 a.m., before setting once again @ 5:12 p.m. tomorrow night.

We do have a Small Craft Advisory in effect from St. Joseph to Manistee until 7:00 p.m. tonight, with winds of five to ten knots and small waves from two to five feet in height. 

Our current temperature, per my DTWS, is 35°, while the NWS is posting the temperature @ 31°. They also point out that the wind out of the northwest @ nine mph, makes it feel more like 23°. 

Tomorrow, the high-temperature will rise to 36° before falling to an overnight low of 31°.

Another Thanksgiving has come and gone. Here at the manse, we had a terrific dinner. Mary worked for hours in a steamy kitchen chopping, stirring, and baking, as she created our dinner. We had a tofu based faux turkey, dressing using Mary's homemade bread and her vegetable broth, green-bean casserole, one of my favorites. that utilized water-chestnuts, mushrooms, and more of her homemade vegetable broth, and her famous muchrooms gravy, which also used more broth and freshly sliced mushrooms. In addition, the meal also featured my personal favorite among all Thanksgiving sides, Oceanspray™ jellied cranberry sauce. 

Many more years ago than I care to remember, I said I liked cranberry sauce. So, Mary slaved over the creation of homemade cranberry sauce that utilized fresh cranberries and other things. Don't get me wrong, it was good, but I am very happy with her opening a can of Oceanspray™ and putting that on the table for my enjoyment. She is more than happy to accommodate me. 

At any rate, here is a picture of the meal taken with our Smart Phone.

No pun intended, but, "But eat your hearts out my fellow Americans.

We finished the indoor chores today so that tomorrow, my afternoon is open to allow me to watch the game between the 10 - 1 OSU Buckeyes, who are 8 - 0 in the Big-10 conference, and our own 10 - 1 team, the Wolverines of Michigan, who are 7 - 1 in the Big-10, following their lopsided loss to the Spartans of MSU. The winner of tomorrow's game @ The Big House in Ann Arbor, gets to play for the Big-10 championship. 

Speaking of the 9 - 2 Spartans, 6 - 2 in the Big-10 conference, they host the 7 - 4, 4 - 4 in the Big-10 Nittany Lions of Penn State tomorrow @ Spartan Stadium.

I finished another novel early this morning and I am not quite ready to start my next. Instead, I did some painting today along with finishing another crossword puzzle and assisting with the indoor chores. We also watched another episode of out latest Amazon Prime™ series, Chuck while eating lunch.

Mary has been hard at work on her cross-stitching and today she is ordering more floss, as if she doesn't already have every color ever conceived She is taking advantage of the Black Friday coupon she received from Everything Cross-Stitch. I say why not, as we are likely indoors for the winter between the cold, the snow, and the Covidiots. I too may have to take advantage of one of the myriad coupons I get for painting supplies. Like I already don't have every color of acrylic paint and brush type imaginable.

Tomorrow, I have no plans other than to watch football and perhaps a Hallmark Channel™ movie  in the evening. To paraphrase that old commercial, "It doesn't get any better than this." 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." I thought that rather than my usual blog, I'll just report that it is currently 50° outside the WW. According to the NWS, today's high will reach that same temperature before we plunge to an overnight low of 28° with snow-showers possible this evening. It looks like there is also a Small Craft Advisory in effect from St. Joseph to Manistee, until tomorrow evening, with winds of 15 - 25 knots over water and gusts up to 30 knots, with waves building up to 11 feet this afternoon into tonight. It will be windy on land today too. It should be an interesting day today after the sun rises @ 7:56 a.m. and before and after it sets @ 5:13 p.m. 

None of the above is the reason that I am thankful for today. No, my thanks today and everyday go out to those people who provide the essential services in grocery stores and pharmacies. Also, the people who the deliver the goods and services and stock the shelves, and those who keep our homes and streets safer every day. 

In addition, I am thankful for the people who made a decision to go into the medical fields and who provide all of us with the care that makes our lives better each day. Let me also thank those among us who made the decision to get themselves vaccinated and boosted in order to protect themselves and others. 

However, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the Covidiots, the anti-vaxxers, the fools, who can and need to be vaccinated. You may know some of them, those fools who seem to revel in the myriad conspiracy theories as they listen to the misinformation provided by too many media outlets and politicians, the people who by their own actions, or to be charitable, their inactions, are landing in the hospitals, sick with a disease that could have been prevented or mitigated by another affirmative and informed decision, a decision to get three easy and FREE shots! 

I don't have a medical degree, nor am I a scientist, but I do know that without the vaccines that eradicated polio, diphtheria, and other childhood diseases, those vaccinations that our parents mandated that we get as children, our lives would be shorter and likely less fulfilling and productive.

Back to the other many things for which I am thankful. My wife of 48 years, Mary. She has managed to keep us healthy and safe throughout this pandemic. She has been able to navigate and overcome the supply-chain issues that seem to have vexed so many. 

I am thankful for my son and daughter in law too. They are part of what is making our lives a bit better each day. 

I am thankful for each day since I became a vegan. I believe that every animal deserves humane treatment that transcends the often horrific conditions under which they are often forced to live, as they provide humans with dairy products, meats, and other by-products. It took me a long time, but once I saw a truckload of pigs on their way to the afterlife and then looked at our own fur-children, I knew what I had to do. 

But, all of that is in no way intended to change anyone's mind. It is just my way of giving thanks to all of the people and other sentient beings who share this planet with us.

Have a safe, healthy, and happy Thanksgiving everyone. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 11:00 p.m. in "The City", where the current temperature on my DTWS and Also according to the report from the NWS, which both show 34° under partly-cloudy skies. Unfortunately, the "Real Feel" temperature is 25° with winds out of the northwest @ 12 mph. The overnight low-temperature forecast calls for 29° before we rebound to tomorrow's high-temperature of 43°, which is 11° warmer than today. There will be sunny skies to go along with that warmer temperature forecast too.

Also unfortunately, the NWS has reissued a Small Craft Advisory beginning @ 4:00 a.m. tomorrow and continuing until 4:00 a.m. Wednesday, from South Haven to Manistee. That Small Craft Advisory will be replaced by yet another Gale Warning, also from South Haven to Manistee, from 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday. That Gale Warning calls for wind-speeds of 20 - 30 knots with gusts up to 40 knots and a wave-height of up to 12 feet!!! The surf will be up on the shores of Lake Michigan. I guess this is a good place to mention that the barometric pressure being displayed on my DTWS is 29.51" of Hg and steady, while the NWS is reporting 30.17" of Hg and rising. Oh, the sine will rise tomorro morning @ 7:46 a.m. and set tomorrow evening @ 5:15 p.m. 

We did some impromptu furniture rearranging earlier today. Mary decided that her desk needed to be under the window in her office without the second tier that has sat atop her desk since the desk's arrival. It looks good there and she likes the view over the view she had of the wall in her office. 

Good news, the topper went out to the curb and didn't stay long, It lasted until someone decided that they could repurpose it and it was whisked away to a new home. A win-win as they say. In addition, I thought about using that topper on my desk, but it wouldn't fit. But, in the process of trying it on for size, I got my own desktop cleared and reorganized so another win-win. 

I always like to think that when one door closes, another opens. Such has been the case with my photography hobby lately. As you may recall, the MMRR has been refurbishing their tracks in front of the manse. I previously added some pix of track work, but today, different machines were being employed to continue the process. 

One machine, called a switch-tamper, had what appeared to a sensing device deployed ahead of a larger machine that followed and which was using automatic pneumatic hammers to push the ballast under the rails and ties for stability. 

That machine was followed by another noisy machine called a ballast regulator, that was redistributing the remaining ballast and tamping it down still further. At any rate, here are some pictures taken from the front-porch of our manse using my wide-angle lens and various focal lengths. 

In addition, here are a some videos from YouTube of those machines at work if you are interested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVaGy7ETteo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAj8Y7zI93M

A sensor for the ballast-tamping machine.

The Mark IV ballast tamper that followed.

The KBR 860 ballast regulator.

Otherwise, not much was happening at the manse today. I have P/T tomorrow and I'll use the time there to get more stretching on my yak versus balancing skills. Ciao.