Walking HOT In Texas With Indian Ghosts & Dead Possums

The temperature was slightly HOT when I left air-conditioned comfort and headed to the Post Office a bit before noon. At that point in time it was only 99.7 with a Real Feel Heat Index of only 103.

It was not feeling all that HOT to me, so upon leaving the Post Office I drove to the Village Creek Natural Historic Area.

In the area of the former Indian Village there are a lot of big oak trees, likely old growth oak trees dating back to the days when they provided shade for the big Indian Village that thrived in this historic area.

A wind was blowing. Despite the Great North Texas Drought the leaves on the trees along Village Creek are still green, creating a shaded, lush, jungle-like walking space.

Water no longer flows in Village Creek. The creek level has dropped below the outlets of the dam/bridge crossings. The Village Creek Bayou is now totally dried up.

Due to Village Creek running out of water, isolated ponds have formed. Below one of the dam/bridges I saw a couple dozen fish trapped, waiting for rain to raise the creek so they could escape before their pond dries up.

At one of the sharp corners on the trail through the jungle there is a mirror so that you can see if a fast moving bike is about to hit you. Or a rattlesnake.

I tried to take a picture of myself reflected in the trail mirror. That did not work out too well.

Arlington Animal Control releases animals in the Village Creek Natural Historic Area. The only animals I have seen released are possums. Last week I saw an animal control guy release a very small possum. When I pulled into the parking lot today an Animal Control truck was leaving.

Soon after starting my walk in the shade I was startled to look down to see a possum.

The possum looked like it was playing possum, sleeping on the concrete. But, it actually was dead, not playing possum, with a lot of flies making note of that fact.

Upon my return a lady, with two big dogs pulling her along the trail, was about 100 feet from the dead possum. I sped up to warn her about the dead possum. I was afraid she'd be upon it before she realized it, with who knows what level of unpleasantness with the dogs.

I watched as she maneuvered around the possum, with her dogs trying hard to inspect it closer.

Change of subject from dead critters to our deadly weather. We are currently at 105.8, with a Heat Index of 110. Tomorrow is scheduled to be HOTTER, as you can via the 7 day Fort Worth forecast below....