Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 8:45 p.m. in "The City."

The current temperature is a very comfortable 65° as we drop to an overnight low temperature of 59° after the sunset tonight @ 9:20 p.m. Tomorrow, the sun will rise @ 6:04:33 a.m., with sunset occurring later @ 9:22:40 p.m. The high temperature tomorrow will also be very comfortable @ 73° under mostly cloudy skies, with an overnight low of 52°

Today's temperature was perfect by Mary's standards, in the low 70° range and perfect for a safari here in the City of Grand Haven, and also at Hemlock Crossing County Park.

I just don't feel like reporting on the mess that my baseball teams are right now, so suffice it to say, that unless and until they improve, markedly, I will be withholding more reporting. 

However, once our carpets had their spring-cleaning, we decided to set out for a trip to Hemlock Crossing County Park for a longer hike by Mary and Ginger, and a shorter hike and a photo shoot for me. 

Here are some pix from that photo shoot, as well as some from our own vast gardens located here at the palatial estate. 

The Meadow Walk is about one-half mile around the wetlands at Hemlock Crossing.

Adjacent to the meadow, is the Hemlock Crossing Public Observatory. 

While you may expect an observatory to be tall, as long as the skies are open, this size is perfect. 

The paved path around the meadow was an easy walk for me. 

But at this time of year, the wetlands have become drylands. 

My yak protested, but I made the entire distance.

This squirrel was just resting along my route. 

In our won vast gardens, these brightly-colored annuals are a perfect complement to their container. 

One of Mary's newest roses, and Emily Bronte, is developing flowers. 

As is one of her older roses. 

I think that once again, that's enough for one blog. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation an across the world. It is just past 3:30 p.m. in "The City", where the current temperature is a sultry 80° under mostly cloudy skies, with a Real Feel temperature of 82° with winds out of the northwest @ 10 mph. I don't know how the wind-driven temperature can be higher than the actual temperature. But, that's how it is, per the NWS. Go figure,

The NWS has downgraded our precipitation forecast to 39% sometime after 4:00 p.m. today, so I'm not counting on any rain for the foreseeable future. The sun will set today @ 9:19 p.m.

In sports news, the 25 - 31, 4th in the NL Central Cubs, saw RHP Jameson Taillon right the ship for a 2 - 1 win over the 26 - 31 San Diego Padres last night in San Diego. Sadly, the Cubs are nearing the time to make some decisions with regard to being sellers rather than buyers in a season that is fast getting away. Where once there was great hope that this might be the year, right now, I'm not so sure. At any rate, the Cubs send LHP Drew Smyly, 5 - 2, to the mound for tonight's game beginning @ 10:10 p.m. EDT. 

The 26 - 29 in the AL Central Tigers, are playing that 24 - 35 other team from Chicago, right now, but the score is knotted @ 1 - 1 in the top of the 6th inning with RHP Michael Lorenzen, 2 - 2, on the hill for the Tigers.

Yesterday the Tigers sent rookie RHP Reese Olson. 0 - 1 to the mound in a 0 - 3 loss. Olson took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, but then the wheels came off as his pitch count grew and he was sent to the showers before absorbing his first MLB loss in a debut that showed great promise. 

My beloved, 29 - 27, 5th in the AL East Red Sox, were postponed yesterday, so they are playing two today versus the 1st place in the AL East, 40 - 18 Tampa Bay Rays. Sadly, RHP Garrett Whitlock is down 1 - 4 in the 5th inning. Things do not look good for the Red Sox, so far, with game two to be played later today.

However, on the home front, it was a good day here yesterday. The A/C repair technicians came to the manse and got our three-year-old A/C system up and running. The contractor that installed our system has gone out of business, so we are hoping that if there is a problem with the equipment, that the manufacturer will honor the ten-year warranty. At any rate, we are happy to report that the A/C is working fine now.

Yesterday saw Mary and Ginger make it back to Central Park from their morning walk, only to have Ginger lay down in the grass there, in need of a long drink of cool water before finishing their safari. 

Which leads me to say that while it was warm out this morning, Mary and Ginger took a walk to the waterfront that was a bit longer than yesterday's sojourn. While they were out, Mary took this pic of the scoreboard for the annual offshore fishing tournament.

No scores this morning, but soon the weights will be on the board.

But I digress. While it was warm this morning too, we opted to go the Grand Haven Memorial Airport for their open house and the requisite photo-op. I got some great shots of planes on the tarmac, taking off and landing, and of the skydivers descending under the auspices of Skydive Grand Haven.

The spacious terminal building.

A pusher plane courtesy of the local chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. 

A similar plane, taxiing to a parking space after landing. 

A four-seat Piper Cherokee, readying for takeoff. I checked, and a 1974 version of this aircraft, is available for as low as $44,000, while a similar 1978 version can be had for $325,000.

A smooth landing?

Much smoother, just before touchdown.

Two skydivers preparing to land after a tandem jump.

Same here.

And here.

Overall, it was a great opportunity to see the aircraft and the skydivers. That's all folks. Ciao.

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 5:45 p.m. in "The City."

The NWS has continued the Air Quality Alert for Allegan, Barry, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Jackson, Muskegon, Oceana, and Ottawa counties in MI through tomorrow. In short, don't fuel vehicles, limit your outdoor activities, and stay indoors whenever possible.

Our current temperature is a sultry 82° before we drop down to an overnight low of 61°, with a possibility for T-storms this evening. I can't agree with what I see outside the WW.

The sunset tonight will occur @ 9:17 p.m.

Normally, I'd report about baseball, but the way things are going, I'll just say that for every step forward, my teams take several steps back.

However, we did get out today for some errands and photoshoot. 

Within Lake Forest Cemetery, these fallen trees attracted my attention. 

High winds must have been responsible.

Actually, two trees were felled.

The fallen trees were near the children's section of the cemetery. 

Because I was there, this marker also caught my eye. 

An iris from our local gardens.

And irises from South Haven, MI.

Although we didn't set out to buy this sculpture, we liked it and so it is now in our vast gardens. 

I think 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 1:20 p.m. in "The City."

The NWS is reporting that it is a beautiful Memorial Day. From personal experience when I was taking photos this morning, as well as a visit to our deck and looking out the WW, I can attest to the veracity of their forecast. 

We have a current temperature of 75°under sunny skies, although the NWS has issued an Air Quality Alert, for the counties of Allegan, Kent, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana, Ottawa, and Van Buren in Michigan for tomorrow, May 30, due to elevated levels of ozone. 

People and businesses are strongly urged to avoid refueling vehicles, filling portable gasoline containers, and any outdoor activity which may exacerbate those ozone concerns.

On this Memorial Day weekend, people are encouraged to avoid the use of charcoal starting fluid too. Yeah, like that's going to happen. 

Sunset today will occur @ 9:15 p.m.

I got up extra early, well at least for me, in order to take my camera to the corner of 6th and Washington, near the Grand Haven City Hall, to record the events of the Memorial Day Parade. 

While the parade only lasted about 15 minutes, I got some great pix of the Hooligans Flight Team during their flyover, the participants in the parade, and some of the dogs that were there to bear witness to the veterans of Grand Haven as they passed by. I also shot some pix of our own Grand Haven High School marching band and some of the flowers in our vast gardens.

However, before I could get moving this morning, Mary and Ginger had already been out on one of what has become their morning walkabouts and they took this picture of the post-parade set up for the speeches at the Lynn Sherwood Memorial Stadium. To me, these empty seats are reminiscent of the many, many grave markers at Normandy, France and in our own country at the numerous veterans' cemeteries throughout this nation. 

With Dewey Hill in the background, I love this picture taken with Mary's Smart Phone.

Before the parade stepped off @ 9:30 a.m., the participants were staged and ready.

The US Coast Guard Honor Guard near the beginning.

Many of Grand Haven's veterans marched too.

The Hooligans Flight Team during their formation flyover. 

Gold Star Parents have lost a son or daughter during service to our country. 

As have Gold Star Families. 

The Grand Haven High School Marching Band.

With a young woman whose horn was almost bigger than she was. 

The chase vehicle with a terrier at the ready.

A 1948 Willy's Jeep. 

The age of this Jeep was unknown.

What's a parade without a Cobra replica?

And a dog to cheer the participants along. 

Another dog. 

And yet another.

And one last dog picture.

The poppys are beginning to bloom in our vast gardens.

As are these irises from South Haven.

Mary tells me that I have chosen this type of flower for three years to fill my water pump bucket. What can I say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

I'll report on the happenings in baseball. However, I am too dejected by the Cubs, as they are worse than I reported in my previous blog. Sure, they SUCK, but that is being kind after they were swept over the weekend by the Reds. Nuff said. 

My beloved Red Sox are trying to suck too, as they seem to be experiencing slumber in the lumber more often than not. They are above .500, just, but that isn't saying much.

However, the now 25 - 26 Tigers defeated that other team from Chicago yesterday and they are trying to go even with the league today versus the 33 - 19 Texas Rangers as LHP Matthew Boyd hurls for the Tigers. Here's hoping.

Right now, Mary and Ginger are on the deck ear-reading etc. We have no further plans for today and that's fine with me. Ciao. 

Good morning or good evening, wherever you may be, across the nation and across the world. It is just past 6:00 a.m. in "The City", where the current temperature under clear skies is 51°, with a "Real Feel" temperature of 51°, owing to a breeze out of the southwest @ one mph. 

Today's high temperature will reach 69° before an overnight low temperature of 54°, also under clear skies. The sun will rise this morning @ 6:10 p.m. and set tonight @ 9:14 p.m.

Today will be very pleasant in W. MI. In spite of the slight rise in daytime temperatures over the next several days, and in spite of the lack of precipitation, we should have many wonderful days ahead.

On a personal note, Mary, Ginger, and I walked to the Lynn Sherwood Waterfront Stadium yesterday, covering about two miles total in distance there and back. I wasn't fast, but I was able to make it, a win for me!

I also finished Symphony of Secrets, by Brendan Slocumb. I enjoyed this book as much or more than his last book, The Violin Conspiracy. I am ready to start a new book by T. Jefferson Parker entitled The Rescue, a story about a dog and a writer. However, I need to have motivation to begin.

In baseball news, the 5th place in the NL Central, 22 - 29 Cubs, SUCK! That's right my loyal readers, the team spent a boatload of money on free agents last winter and the result is that they started the season well, but they have fallen apart of late, with a seeming inability to score runs, but more importantly, a lack of quality pitching from several starters and numerous relievers. 

What can I say? After yesterday's loss, 5 - 8, and Friday's loss, 0 - 9, to the 4th place in the NL Central, 23 - 29 Cincinnati Reds, the Cubs are floundering and wasting the time of fans, both diehard and newbies this year. At this rate, the way things are going, heads will likely roll, and the Cubs will once again be sellers at the All-Star break. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. Today's game with LHP Drew Smyly, 5 - 1, taking the mound for a 2:20 p.m. EDT start should be a test of the Cubs' mettle.

In better news, the 24 - 26, 2nd place in the AL Central Tigers, defeated that other team from Chicago, the team with a 4th place in the AL Central record of 22 - 32, 7 - 3. The Tigers wasted a fine performance by RHP Michael Lorenzen, 2 - 2, who flirted with a no-hitter, before giving way to the bullpen who tried to throw the game away. But, while the woeful Cubs suck, the Tigers are trying to reach the .500 mark, now just two games away. Today's game with LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, 4 - 4 on the mound begins @ 1:40 p.m. EDT.

Finally, my beloved, 4th place in the AL East Red Sox, eked out a win over the 2nd place in the NL Central AZ D'Backs, 2 - 1, with RHP Garrett Whitlock notching his 2nd win against 2 losses. Today, the beloved once again take the field versus the D'Backs @ 4:10 p.m., with RHP Tanner Houck, 3 - 3 pitching. 

Today @ 12:45 p.m. EDT, the 107th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500, begins as the checkered flag drops on the latest 33 car field of nine former winners and four rookie drivers.

This is getting long, so I will add some pix that I took on our walk yesterday and that will be that before my day gets away from me. 

Street musicians plied their trade in the downtown.

As our Ginger, shared my soymilk-based cone at the Lynn Sherwood Stadium on a warm afternoon. 

People were enjoying the ribs and sides at the 16th annual VFW Post #2326 Rib Fest. 

Boats of all shapes and sizes, including this peddle-powered sternwheeler, were out in force yesterday.  

Houseboats too.

Along with walkers, dogs, and Jet Skis too.

I love to take pix of the flora everywhere we go.

Including our own irises at the manse.

Now I know that's enough for one blog. Today will be a day to relax, read, cross-stitch, and enjoy life. Ciao.