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 under cloudy skies is a very seasonal 62° and it feels like 62°, with only a slight breeze out of the southwest @ two mph. 

The NWS is reporting that the current barometric pressure is 30.09" of Hg and rising, while my own DTWS is showing 29.48" of Hg and falling. None the less, the NWS forecast calls for a high temperature today of 74° with an overnight low temperature of 55°. Very seasonal and very pleasant with only a slight chance for additional precipitation.

The sun rose today @ 6:23 a.m. and it will set tonight @ 8:59 p.m.

Not much is happening around the manse located on the grounds of the palatial estate, as along with being retired, we are beginning to enjoy the arrival of spring on this Mother's Day eve. In fact, we will be doing some planting in the vast gardens today, having just procured some additional roses yesterday at the annual Mother's Day sale at The City Farmer, a local garden center. They are having a sale this weekend that offers 25% off if you buy three plants, which of course means that you must have three more roses to add to your garden. We almost ended up with four, but Mary couldn't think of a place to plant an additional rose. However, that is subject to change.

So today, I have to put my new knees to the test and dig a hole for at least one of the new roses and perhaps as many as three. I know that my new knees are up to the task, but I'm not sure about the rest of me. Time will tell, I guess. We also have some small annuals to plant too, but those are more in Mary's bailiwick. 

Yesterday, I got down to the man cave for the first time in months, and repaired our outdoor wall hanging, a metal on barnwood map of Michigan. A little glue, a clamp, and voila, the map is back on the wall. 

I walked to the library last Thursday for that coffee and coloring session. I was nice to get out and about under my own power and just sit and color in an organized yet off site setting. 

Tomorrow being Mother's Day, we have tickets to see a matinee performance of Neil Simon's Rumors, presented by the Central Park Players at our newly renamed community center, now called Central Park Place. It will be a fun activity after all these years of staying away from most indoor activities. 

Mostly though, the week ahead is filled with various appointments and the activities of daily life, like indoor chores. 

Did I mention that the now 19 - 19 third place in the NL Central Cubs, defeated the first place in the AL Central 21 - 18 Twins last night, 6 - 2. Sadly, neither the NL, nor the AL Central divisions are very strong this year, so it is possible for the Cubs to win their division with a record that is only slightly better than .500, something like 85 - 77. Oh well, that's baseball for you. 

Today's game in Minneapolis will begin @ 2:10 p.m. EDT, with 2 - 1 RHP Hayden Wesneski on the mound for the north-siders. 

That's enough for one blog. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 6:30 p.m. in "The City", where the current temperature is 68° under partly cloudy skies, with a forecast overnight low temperature of 54° under dark skies. 

Today was terrific, with a high in the lower 70s, but tomorrow will be a bit cooler, with a high temperature of 69° under cloudy skies and an overnight low temperature of 56°, also under dark skies. The sunset today will occur @ 8:50 p.m. The sun will rise tomorrow @ 6:33 a.m. and set later @ 8:51 p.m.

Today in baseball, the 16 - 16 Chicago Cubs and LHP Justin Steele, 4 - 0, handed the 16 - 17 Florida Marlins their fourth straight loss, 4 - 1. Leftfielder Ian Happ provided the power with a two-run home run, as newly called up first baseman Matt Mervis, got his first MLB hit. 

The Cubs take the field again tomorrow afternoon @ 2:20 p.m. EDT, with 3 - 1 LHP Drew Smyly on the mound versus the Marlins RHP Bryan Hoeing, 0 - 1.

My beloved 19 - 14 Red Sox take the field tonight @ 7:05 p.m., with 2 - 2 LHP Chris Sale on the mound, trying to add to their surprising win total. But the beloved are still in third place in the AL East, 7 - 5 games behind the even more surprising 26 - 6 Tampa Bay Rays. 

The 13 - 17 tigers defeated the 16 - 16 Mets twice yesterday, 6 - 5 and 2 - 0. Tonight, the Tigers return to the field in Comerica Park for an 8:15 start versus the snakebit 10 - 22 Cardinals, with 1 - 2 LHP Matthew Boyd on the bump. 

We went on safari today to purchase some new plants for our vast gardens. But since we were out and since the weather was perfect, I took along my camera for some pix of things near the Weesies Bros. Garden Center in Nunica, MI. Here are those pix in chronological order.

I found this dead tree across from Weesies too good to pass up.

Also true of this tree shrouded house nearby.

Just west of Weesies is the Nunica Cemetery, established in 1883, and known for its paranormal activity.

Shadows and light combined to make this a nice shot. 

I like gnarly trees as subjects. 

I learned today that these are prickly pear cacti. 

These hanging boughs made a nice frame. 

Pinecones and more of those prickly pear cacti.

A rare pyramid shaped marker. 

Walter Quigley is a long-term resident of the Nunica Cemetery. Per Mary, Walter was "Down Under" long before Tom Selleck went to Australia in the movie Quigley Down Under. 

Tomorrow is a day for more outdoor planting activities, more reading of both varieties, crossword puzzles, and maybe, indoor chores. Otherwise, I have to continue to work on my leg strength for future outings. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 2:25 a.m. in "The City."

I arose to find that the NWS shows the current temperature as 40°, although it feels more like 30°, with a strong wind out of the northwest @ 21 mph, which has the NWS also showing that a Gale Warning will remain in effect until 2:00 p.m. today, from St. Joseph to Manistee. Wind speeds of 45 knots will propel waves up to 13' in height. The surf is up!

Today, the sun will rise @ 6:37 a.m. and set tonight @ 8:46 p.m. In between, it will remain windy, with a 38% chance for additional showers. 

The NWS is showing a current barometric pressure of 29.39" of Hg and rising, while my own, newly recharged sensors and my own DTWS is showing 28.80"of Hg and falling. 

According to the NWS forecast, we should see temperatures in the 60° and above range beginning on Thursday and continuing from then on. 

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the massive dust storm in Southern Illinois, that caused a massive traffic pileup yesterday. Climate Change? Yes!

In fact, a report that Mary showed me yesterday, indicates that as we transition from an El Nino to a La Nina, this summer in Michigan will see more rain than many summers in recent memory, with less watering of gardens a good side effect.

I also arose to the sad news that Canadian singer/songwriter, Gordon Lightfoot, has died at the age of 84. As a player myself, his music has inspired me to keep on keepin' on. Oops, I was channeling the Grateful Dead there for a second. 

Lightfoot is best known for songs such as: 

If You could Read My Mind, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiU2lrGnT7U

Sundown, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EOh3EwzoOU

And of course, his haunting ballad, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which depicted the aforementioned maritime accident. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuzTkGyxkYI

He will be missed, especially by the coordinator of my Sunday night Ukulele group, Bruce, a big fan.

In an abridged version of my Sports Report, here are the facts, just the facts. 

The 15 - 13 Cubs and winning LHP Drew Smyly, 3 - 1, rolled into Washington D.C., and in last night's game, defeated the 10 - 18 Nationals, 5 - 1, with Dansby Swanson getting yet another dinger. The Cubs are still mired in third place in the NL Central, but they remain above the .500 mark, behind the division leading 20 - 9 Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs and the Nationals play again tonight @ 7:05 p.m. EDT, with RHP, Hayden Wisnewski, 2 - 1, pitching.  

The 10 - 17 Detroit Tigers, are also in third place in the AL Central division, a division that finds the Twins @ 17 - 12 on top. 

Finally, my beloved 16 - 14 Red Sox, needed a walk off home run by Alex Verdugo, to defeat the 18 - 11 third place Toronto Blue Jays, 6 - 5. The Sox return to the field again tonight to face the Jays in a game @ 710 p.m. EDT, with RHP Tanner Houck3 - 1, on the bump.

I had yet another P/T appointment yesterday. Recovery is continuing, but you know what they say about "No pain, No gain."

Since we were out, Mary drove me to the shores of the "Big Lake" and maneuvered the car so that I could get some pix. 

Lake Michigan was angry yesterday.

But this lone kite surfer was not deterred.

He even "Caught some air" at one point.

Waves crashed, winds blew, but the inner lighthouse stood tall. 

We returned home to find that we had visitors in the back forty.

This mourning dove was resting on our fence.

While this black squirrel was digging in our planter.

We finished watching 84 Charing Cross Road yesterday and continued ear-reading The Women of Copper Country. Mary is working on an interim cross-stitch project too. I restarted a print-read of another book entitled, The Third Grave, by Lisa Jackson.

Today, I have a six-week appointment with my orthopedist to assess my knees. I think I am doing well, but as you know, I am not patient. Right now, I have a goal to make it to the library for a Coffee and Coloring session on May 11. It has been over two years since I was able to go to that recently restarted activity, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and my knees. Here's hoping I can make it. I am still struggling to rise easily from chairs. If I can't rise easily after sitting, Mary has promised to come to my rescue so that I can go. 

That's enough for one blog, as I have been sitting too long now. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 3:15 p.m. in "The City", where the current temperature under cloudy skies is 52°, with a "Real Feel" temperature of 48°, due to a strong wind out of the southwest @ 12 mph. The NWS is forecasting that today, showers will begin in earnest around 4:00 p.m.

Tonight's low temperature forecast from the NWS calls for 42° before we "rebound" to tomorrow's high temperature of 46° with an overnight low temperature of 38°. The NWS forecast indicates that we will have to wait until next Friday or Saturday to reach temperatures in the 60s. That's spring in Michigan.

The sun will rise tomorrow @ 6:41 a.m. with sunset@ 8:43 p.m.

The 14 - 11, third place in the NL Central Cubs, lost yesterday's game versus the 14 - 13 Miami Marlins, 2 - 3. One bright spot was the home run by rookie centerfielder, Nelson Velazquez, but with the game tied in the ninth, the Marlins took the game from the cubs.

The Cubs take the field again today @ 4:05 p.m., with 0 - 0 Caleb Kilian taking the mound for the Cubs following a call up from the Iowa Cubs. 

My beloved 13 - 14, last place in the AL East Red Sox, lost to the Cleveland Guardians yesterday, 2 - 5, with Nick Pivetta taking the loss. Today, the Sox once again face the Guardians in a game beginning @ 4:10 p.m., with 0 - 1 Brayan Bello on the bump for the beloved.

The 10 - 15 Tigers were rained out yesterday, so they are playing two today. They took game one from the 17 - 19 Orioles, 7 - 4, with 2 - 2 Eduardo Rodriguez getting the win. Game two today begins @ 5:10 p.m., when 1 - 1 LHP Matthew Boyd goes for the Tigers. 

Earlier this afternoon, with Mary's assistance, I walked to Central Park for the Earth Day festivities. Unfortunately, the festivities were mostly indoors at the Central Park Place. However, I took some pix of what was happening outdoors, which included a pony, a carriage ride, and some guitarists.

A very docile pony was there for the kids to pet.

The one-horse carriage circled Central Park with riders.

Not me, but a reasonable facsimile.

Act number two was heading in while we were heading out. 

The balance of today will find me in the media room watching the Cubs and sharing snacks with Ginger. Fortunately, she and I have similar snack tastes.

Mary finished her last cross-stitch project, and she is getting everything together for her next endeavor. 

I finished number one, Sleeping Giants and then book number two, Waking Gods. I am now starting book number three, Only Human, in the trilogy by Sylvain Neuvel, a trilogy recommended by Mary. I enjoyed the first two books, so I have great hopes for this book. 

We are still collectively ear-reading The Women of the Copper Country, by Mary Doria Russell. This book is set in the U.P. of Michigan, circa 1913, and deals with the efforts to unionize the copper mines in a hostile, anti-union environment. I am liking this book too.

I finished yesterday's crossword puzzles and crypto quote earlier today and now I have tomorrow to work on the weekend puzzles and crypto quote.  

Mary is hard at her cross-stitch planning at her desk as I write this. 

That's enough for today. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 3:45 a.m. in "The City."

The NWS is reporting a current temperature under clear skies of 45°, although it feels more like 42° with a slight wind out of the east @ five mph. There are no advisories, alerts, nor warnings in effect at this time. I cannot report the temperatures here at the manse, as my outdoor sensors need to be recharged. Later today, I'll get to that task.

Per the immutable laws of physics, the sun will rise this morning @ 6:42 a.m. and set later @ 8:42 p.m. Symmetry? Catch it!

I/we have another P/T appointment today. With my therapist, Eric, I am working on strengthening my legs so that I can more easily rise from a sitting position. 

Otherwise, not much is happening here at the Palatial Estate. Mary is busily rearranging the furnishings and decor indoors, and I am staying out of the way. We are still ear-reading and print-reading along with working crossword puzzles and crypto quotes. Mary is also doing some personal ear-reading too.

I did get into the kitchen yesterday afternoon to bake another batch of Mary's favorite, Soft Funfetti Cookies. That was before we set forth to get our sixth Covid-19 vaccinations. As people of a certain age, we are being extra cautious.

The 14 - 10 Cubs downed the 13 - 15 Padres yesterday afternoon, 5 - 3, behind a wind assisted home run barrage from Dansby Swanson, his first in a Cubs' uniform, Eric Hosmer, and rookie call up, Nelson Velasquez, who was called up to replace regular centerfielder, Cody Bellanger who is out on paternity leave for a few more games. The Cubs are off to Miami tonight to play the 13 - 13 Miami Marlins @ 6:40 EDT, as 2 - 2 Marcus Stroman starts for the northsiders. 

My beloved 13 - 13 Red Sox had the day off yesterday, before tonight's game versus the 12 - 13 Cleveland Guardians in a game commencing @ 7:10 p.m. EDT with 1 - 1 Nick Pivetta on the bump for the Sox.

The 9 - 15 Tigers dropped another game, this time to the 17 - 8 Orioles, 4 - 7. What can I say, the Tigers just don't have any pitching. The tigers take the field again tonight @ 6:40 p.m. in Baltimore as 1 - 2 Eduardo Rodriguez tries again to earn his money. 

I think it is time for me to retire to the media room for some reading etc. So, I'll say it. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation an across the world. It is just past 5:55 a.m. in "The City."

The NWS is reporting a current temperature under cloudy/rainy/snowy skies of 37°, although with a slight breeze out of the southeast @ four mph., it feels more like 33°. Definitely not a seasonal temperature and that's why we have that mix of snow and rain falling from the sky outside my WW. 

The NWS is also reporting a current Barometric Pressure of 30.19" of Hg and rising, while my own DTWS is displaying 29.56" of Hg and steady. 

The sun will rise later today @ 6:47 a.m., and set much later @ 8:38 p.m.

We traveled to the north on Sunday afternoon to visit Marsh Field in Muskegon, MI, the home of the Muskegon Clippers baseball team. 

Given to a private organization several years ago by the City of Muskegon, Marsh Field is a beautiful ballpark.

Soon, this Field of Dreams, will be hosting the Muskegon Clippers for baseball action.

The Clippers play in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

Although the field is small, it is well maintained, and the clippers have numerous sponsors. 

We hope to see several games this year, as a way to enjoy baseball without going to Detroit, Grand Rapids, or other baseball cities. The cost is lower, and baseball is baseball. As we know, "Baseball is Life!"

Elsewhere in the news, I had yet another P/T session yesterday and was given some additional exercises to perform at home to add to the strength in my knees/legs. I'm five weeks out on my latest sojourn into my new knees. 

We have been ear-reading, cross-stitching, crossword solving, print-reading, and watching the time get away from us. Mary and Ginger are walking more every day, but today may be a non-walking day due to the inclement weather.

In other sports news, the Cubs are treading water in the NL Central, with a record of 12 - 9, having just dropped three out of four to the LA Dodgers at Wrigley. The Cubs are home tonight versus the 12 - 12 San Diego Padres for a game beginning @ 7:40 p.m. EDT, with 3 - 0 Justin Steele on the mound for the Cubs.

My beloved 12 - 12 Red Sox. I'm not sure what they are doing, as they are better than expected, but not good enough. They once again play the 15 - 7 Orioles in the AL East division, where the Tampa Bay Rays are the team to beat, with their record of 20 - 3. The Sox send 0 - 4 Cory Kluber to the hill tonight to face the Orioles, following last night's loss, 4 - 5 to the Orioles. LHP Chris Sale was awful last night, lasting just one and one-third innings and destroying the water cooler in the dugout as he left.

What the 8 - 13 Tigers are doing, with a record of 8 - 13, may be good enough for third place in a very weak AL Central Division, but they are not a good team. Yet, they defeated the 15 - 8 Milwaukee Brewers last night, 4 - 2. The Tigers are in action again tonight versus the Brewers when 1 - 3 Spencer Turnbull takes the ball for the Tigers. 

Otherwise, we are just waiting for spring to permanently arrive, which it will, but as always, the weather in Michigan is up and down at this point in the season. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 5:40 a.m. in "The City", where the current temperature under cloudy skies is a seasonal 43°, although it feels like 41° with a breeze out of the west @ four mph. 

The NWS has issued yet another Small Craft Advisory from St. Joseph to Manistee beginning at 12:00 a.m. tomorrow and continuing until 4:00 a.m., with wind speeds of 25 knots propelling waves up to five feet in height. 

My DTWS is showing a current Barometric Pressure of 29.15" of Hg and rising, while the NWS in GR is showing 29.81" of Hg and falling. Plus, there is a slight possibility of rain showers beginning soon. I'll have to look out the Weather Window to confirm that part of the forecast. As of now, no rain. The sun will rise this morning @ 6:52 a.m. and set later @ 8:35 p.m.

I read three newspapers yesterday and got the crossword puzzles and crypto quotes ready for solving, but then it was time to move to the Media Room to watch the Cubs and starting pitcher, Drew Smyly, 2 - 1, crush the LA Dodgers, 13 - 0, as baseballs went flying out of Wrigley Field four times, as Smyly held the Dodgers to one hit in his eight innings of work. 

In the top of the eighth inning, a freakish infield collision between Smyly and his battery-mate, Jan Gomes, let the Dodgers tally a hit and end Smyly's no hit bid. Oh well, the "W" flag is flying over Wrigley and the 12 - 7 Cubs, as they find themselves in third place in the NL. Central, behind the 14 - 7 Pirates and the 14 - 6 Brewers. 

The Cubs and the Dodgers play again today @ 2:20 p.m. EDT, with RHP Hayden Wisnewski, 1 - 0, on mound.

My beloved Red Sox, 11 - 10, are in sole possession of last place in the AL East, as the surprising 

Tampa Bay Rays, 17 - 3 lead the division and show no signs of slowing down. 

The 7 - 11 Detroit Tigers, are in third place in the AL Central with no real hope for now or anytime soon. Sigh.

I finished my latest novel, Georgie All Along by Kate Clayborn late last night and thoroughly enjoyed this pulp fiction of a young woman at the crossroads of her life. 

Today, I hope to finish those crossword puzzles and crypto quotes and also continue to ear-read more with Mary too. 

Speaking of Mary, her replacement air-fryer showed up without warning on Thursday, and she wasted no time in putting the replacement version 2.0 into service for Thursday night's dinner, as well as for dinner last night too. I wonder if she can find a third meal today?

Otherwise, I am enjoying being upstairs for both the bedroom and the media room. Mary is enjoying being downstairs and undisturbed, as she ear-reads her own novel and cross-stitches. 

So, recovery from my knee surgeries continues and my time in this chair is nearly at an end. So, I'll say it. Ciao.