The Tanks Predicted By The Church Of The Promise Of The Barnett Shale Have Arrived At My Neighborhood Chesapeake Energy Operation

Last Friday I blogged about being bum puzzled about What Was Happening At My Neighborhood Chesapeake Energy Natural Gas Drilling Operation? 

Then The Church of the Promise of the Barnett Shale answered my bum puzzled question thusly...

Looks like the skirt around the tank battery. They will connect to the well fittings and run the gas through dehydrators to separate the gas from the nasty water, and that water will go into the tanks waiting to be hauled off. They will separate off any saleable hydrocarbons in the water and dispose of the rest, responsibly. Then Enron, I mean Chesapeake will find a way to pipeline the dry gas out for sale, being very fair about how much the lease holders share will be of the proceeds. Information brought to you by The Church of The Promise of the Barnett Shale.

Today when I stopped at my neighborhood FW Weekly purveyor I saw that The Church of the Promise of the Barnett Shale was right, at least about the tanks, because today big tanks are being lifted in to place.

If the badwater gets separated and hauled away after being separated from the gas, where does the gas go?

I'm back being bum puzzled again.

The Diane Tran Scandal & The Matter Of Dishonorable Judge Lanny Moriarty Before The Texas Ethics Commission

On Tuesday I blogged about the Dishonorable Texas Judge Lanny Moriarty's outrageous sentencing of a 17 year old honor student, Diane Tran, to 24 hours in Montgomery County Jail due to being absent and tardy at school.

Strip searching is standard operating procedure when processing a person about to be incarcerated into a county jail.

Was being strip searched an additional indignity this young girl was subjected to?

After I blogged about this judicial outrage which has embarrassed Texas across America and the world, there have been many blog comments, all of which, in various ways, all want to virtually lynch this guy who should not be judging anyone.

One of the comments came from one of my favorite comment makers, Stenotrophomonas....

Stenotrophomonas has left a new comment on your post "Dishonorable Texas Judge Lanny Moriarty Sentences Honor Student To Jail For No Crime":

Methinks hizzoner should be made an example of: www.ethics.state.tx.us/sworncomp/2008/2811371.pdf 

So, from Stenotrophomonas we learn that the Dishonorable Judge Lanny Moriarty has been investigated for a large number of various ethics violations in relation to his campaign to get elected to the job he is clearly not qualified for.

Apparently the Dishonorable Judge Lanny Moriarty failed to report a large number of campaign contributions in the proper, ethical, legal manner.

I have no clue if the Dishonorable Judge Lanny Moriarty's ethics violations are such that criminal prosecution is the result. If so, I hope he does some hard time at the Montgomery County Jail.

You know, paraphrasing the Dishonorable Judge's rationalization for throwing a good kid into the slammer, we can't turn a blind eye to these type crimes or else all the judges will soon be running roughshod over the law. An example should be made of this judge, just like this judge thought, erroneously, that an example should be made of Diane Tran.

The Third Night In A Row Thunder Booms Over North Texas

You can not tell looking from my secondary viewing portal on the outer world that a downpour is hitting my swimming pool causing a lot of bouncing water action.

Because I don't have audio enabled you are also unable to hear the almost constant rumbling of thunder.

Last night was the third night in a row that thunder has rumbled. But it was the first of the three nights of rumbling that I heard the rumbling.

It was loud.

And once the booming started it did not let up and continues even after the sun has arrived to provide some illumination through the thick cloud cover.

At one point last night the thunder was the oddest I've ever heard. Instead of the regular type rumbling, the boom followed by the slow lessening of the booming, this particular thunder was a series of concussive booms, like bombs exploding.

I went swimming in the rain this morning. When I got in the pool the difference between the lightning strikes and the thunder booms was about 5 seconds. When the difference got down to 2 seconds I decided it was time to get out of the pool.

It is a rather pleasant sensation to already be soaking wet, due to the downpour, to get in the warmer water of the pool. It is equally pleasant to exit the warm water of the pool to the cooler shots of downpouring rain.

I do not remember a previous time during my long exile in Texas when there have been 3 successive nights of thunder booming. I rather enjoyed last night, particularly after the rain started downpouring.

I do not know how I am going to get my salubrious regular endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation today. I may have to resort to walking around Sam's Club.

Playing Soccer Baseball With Fort Worth Kids At Oakland Park With Baby Ducks

Fosduck Only Child Duck

Since rain fell once again, last night, I figured the Tandy Hills would be too muddy for enjoyable hill hiking.

So, it was back to Oakland (Lake) Park to walk around Fosdick Lake.

All the rain has greatly reduced the layer of green, slimy, algae vegetation that had been choking Fosdick Lake of late.

The Fosducks seem happier with a less green lake. I heard a lot of exuberant quacking today, from the ducks and from a big flock of kids.

The kids were playing some sort of hybrid baseball/soccer game that looked fun. The bases were orange traffic cones. The ball looked like a volley ball.

Instead of hitting the ball with a stick, the person at home base kicked the ball. After the ball was kicked much mayhem and screaming ensued. I've not seen kids having so much fun since I played Ladder Golf with Spencer Jack in my sister's backyard in Arizona, back in March.

Stormy weather, with possible thunderstorms, seems to be the weather theme for today.

The sky looked a bit menacing above the Fosdick Water Tank UFO that hovers over Oakland (Lake) Park.

I am now back in air-conditioned comfort.

The sky seems to be going from bright to dark on some sort of regular cycle. I am expecting some weather drama at some point this afternoon.

Anonymous Wants To Know If I Dislike Texas Weather So Much Why Don't I Go Back To Washington?

Last night another storm blew through this part of the planet that I once again slept through.

As you can see, in the picture, this morning is looking a bit stormy, as well.

The weather predictors are predicting more rain and electrical action today.

This morning when the sun came up the wind was blustering so hard it had knocked my swimming suit to ground level. I don't recollect that happening before.

Yesterday, somewhere among the many locations I was reading about the latest Texas Judge Scandal I read one comment that said something like, "God must really love stupid people, because he made so many of them. Like that judge in Texas."

Speaking of stupid people.

Yesterday when I saw that the temperature in Fort Worth and Phoenix were both 95, but with the Real Feel Temperature in Phoenix being higher than Fort Worth, despite Fort Worth's humidity being 9 times higher, I blogged about it, including the temperature at that point in time at my old home zone in Mount Vernon, Washington and the fact that humidity was even higher in Mount Vernon.

I then got the following comment from someone calling him or herself Anonymous...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Taking The Temperature In Fort Worth, Phoenix & Mount Vernon": 

If you dislike TX and the weather so much, why don't you go back to Washington? So much criticism from a tourist begins to just sound whiny. 

Whiny? I would not say that I am impervious to whining, but I detected no trace of whining in the post about yesterday's relative temperatures. I certainly said nothing that indicated I wanted to go back to Washington due to the weather being better than Texas.

The fact is I prefer Texas weather to Washington weather, except for the months of July and August, when Western Washington's weather is often perfect.

If I moved back to Washington it'd be because I miss the scenery, saltwater, mountains, skiing, fresh seafood, fresh for the picking fruits and vegetables, better outdoor recreational opportunities, better parks, multiple National Parks, Canada being nearby, Oregon being nearby, the highly educated people, the liberal politics, the activism, the libraries and the coffee.

But, since I like whining so much, Texas is a Mother Lode of whining material, compared to virtually Mother Lode-free Washington, where I don't remember whining about much of anything, except maybe the rain.

Taking The Temperature In Fort Worth, Phoenix & Mount Vernon

I believe today has been our HOTTEST day of the year, so far, in North Texas. 95 degrees with the humidity making it feel like 103.

When last I talked to my mom and sister both mentioned being relieved to have the temperature back in the 90s after already hitting 110. Right at this point in time when I checked temperatures Fort Worth and Phoenix are both being heated to 95 degrees, with the Phoenix humidity making it feel like 106 in Arizona.

But, currently, Phoenix has only 5% humidity, while Fort Worth is smothering with 43% humidity. So, why does it supposedly feel 3 degrees HOTTER in the dry Phoenix desert?

Meanwhile, up in my old home zone, in the Skagit Valley of Washington, Mount Vernon is currently chilled to 55 degrees. And is more humid, at 62%, than Fort Worth.

Which, I guess, is why it supposedly feels like a relatively balmy 62 in Mount Vernon.

I see in the 3 forecasts that only Washington has rain in its forecast. How unexpected.

Dishonorable Texas Judge Lanny Moriarty Sentences Honor Student To Jail For No Crime

UPDATE: The Matter of Dishonorable Judge Lanny Moriarty before the Texas Ethics Commission.

It has happened again. An idiot who should not be a judge, is a Texas judge, and has embarrassed himself, and Texas, in front of America and the rest of the world.

A hard luck, hard working honor student has been fined and sentenced to jail by a miscreantic Texas judge named Lanny Moriarty.

You can go here to sign a petition asking the judge to cancel the fine and the sentencing.

UPDATE: The 24 hour jail sentence has already taken place, last Wednesday, in the notorious Montgomery County Jail, where Diane spent 24 hours surrounded by what Houston defense attorney Ned Barnett characterized as suspected murderers, drug addicts and prostitutes.

I don't know if there is another petition demanding this judge be de-judged.

If I were the governor of the state of Texas and one of these embarrassments occurred I would make some noise. Does Rick Perry not pay attention to what happens in the state he governs? I suspect not. Watching Rick Perry in the Republican debates, before he got laughed out of the race, I was not sure the man can read.

Below is what you will read at the location where you can sign a petition...

Diane Tran isn't like most seventeen-year-old girls her age. Sure, there are many honors students taking dual credit U.S. History, dual credit English Literacy, College Algebra, and Spanish Language AP. Sure, there are some who work part time and full time jobs like Diane does at a dry cleaners and a wedding venue. 

But, since Diane's parents have moved away, Diane does all of this to support herself and her two siblings.

For a student facing these challenges, a teacher or authority figure should have reached out to her and made sure she didn't slip through the cracks. Despite her situation, she's not just an extraordinary worker and student, she's an extraordinary human being with a fighting spirit.

The reason why we should care about her is this: The state of Texas is sentencing a young girl to a night of jail for being too emotionally and physically exhausted to go to school. The institutions that are to provide resources to youth and ensure justice are instead punishing her like a criminal and fining her $100.

The Judge in Diane's case said he was making an example of her with this severe punishment. Diane is already an example of how people her age should be acting.

Please tell Judge Lanny Moriarty, the State of Texas, and the U.S.A. to make sure that the future leaders of our nation are looked after and taken care of. Thank you.

The Texas Judge setting a bad example is currently the top story on FOX News online.

Last Night's Rain Turned Village Creek Into Chocolate

No, that chocolate in the picture is not a scene from Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. That chocolate in the picture is a muddy Texas creek.

Village Creek to be precise.

I was in deep slumber mode last night when Mother Nature decided to drop some water at my location. I did not realize rain had fallen overnight til I found myself having to traverse puddles on my way to the pool this morning.

I did hear thunder booming last night. But the booming never got close enough to rattle my windows.

Not enough rain fell to flood Village Creek to the point that the Village Creek Natural Historical Area had to be closed. So, I was able to have a nice walk today with the Native American Ghosts who inhabit this part of North Texas.

I do not recollect ever seeing Village Creek look as muddy as it looks today.

Summer is still several weeks in the future. It feels like summer has already arrived in North Texas. Currently the temperature is 93, with the extreme humidity making the temperature feel like 103, according to my computer based temperature monitoring device.

Perplexed By Memorial Day BBQs At Fort Worth Parks With No Running Water

Fosdick Flower Blooming Bright
On Memorial Day

I went to Oakland (Lake) Park to walk around Fosdick Lake today for my memorable Memorial Day aerobicizing.

There were a lot of people in Oakland Park today memorializing Memorial Day with picnicking barbecues.

So far today I have not memorialized Memorial Day with a picnic or a barbecue.

I did have some memorable meatloaf for lunch.

The Oakland Park Pavilion was packed today. With multiple barbecues spewing tasty smelling smoke.

The Oakland Park Pavilion has no running water. The restroom facility is an outhouse.

Have I mentioned before that I find it bizarre that in Texas it is considered perfectly okay to have picnic facilities in parks with absolutely no running water?

Or modern restroom facilities.

I can not think of a single park, with picnic tables, I have been to, anywhere in any west coast state, that does not have restroom facilities of the non-outhouse variety. And does not have running water in the form of a faucet.

Are the health codes for such things more stringent in other states?

Kayaking Arlington's River Legacy Parks Paddling Trail In The Unsafe To Swim In Trinity River

Stored somewhere in my abode is an inflatable kayak that I have not inflated in years. I think the last time I inflated my kayak was to go floating in Lake Joe Pool at Cedar Hills State Park.

Since I last inflated my inflatable kayak River Legacy Park, in Arlington, has added something called River Legacy Parks Paddling Trail.

I have seen people launch kayaks in the Trinity River from the River Legacy Parks Paddling Trails kayak launch pad.

The Trinity River flows through River Legacy Park in its natural state, with none of the levees that guide the river through Fort Worth.

There is a lot of information on the River Legacy Parks Paddling Trail information sign.

The Paddling Trail length is 4.2 miles. How is this determined, I could not help but wonder? Float Time is 1.5 to 4 hours, depending on water level, flow rate and wind speed.

A note on the sign notes that "This trail can be paddled as a "loop" trail in which paddlers can launch from the park's access site and paddle upstream as far as desired or flow condition allow. Paddlers can then turn around and travel downstream to complete the loop. If paddling this trail as a loop there will be a set of riffles that will require a portage approximately a mile upstream."

Riffles? Are riffles little rapids?

On the sign, under the heading "Fishing" we learn "The river supports catfish, drum, sunfish and bass among other fish. Fish can be caught with the use of light tackle and a variety of baits. The Texas Department of State Health Services has issued a formal advisory regarding the consumption of fish from the river."

Under the heading "Be Safe" we learn "Rivers are ever-changing dynamic systems with inherent dangers. Follow basic safety rules. Never paddle alone. Always have a float plan - tell someone where you are going and when you are expected to return. Check weather forecasts. Carry a map of the stream so you can find your location at any time. Wear a Coast Guard approved Type III-V lifejacket and protective footwear. Carry drinking water, sunscreen, cell phone and insect repellent. Plan your trip so that your paddling skills are equal to the water conditions."

Where does one get a map of the Trinity River that will allow one to find ones location at any time, I can not help but wonder?

Under the heading "River Conditions" those riffles are mentioned again, "This reach of the Trinity River is a natural channel with a few fun riffles to navigate, but flow and water quality are influenced by upstream reservoirs, storm water runoff, and wastewater treatment plants. The water quality is suitable for canoeing, kayaking and incidental contact, but not for swimming. Trips should not be attempted in high and turbulent water conditions."

So, the Trinity River in Arlington is not safe for swimming, with only incidental water contact being okay.

Meanwhile, upstream, in Fort Worth, somehow the Trinity River is safe to float in via an inner tube in J.D. Granger's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats.

Very perplexing.

Visiting Arlington's Veterans Park Soldier Talking To My Sister About Going To Alaska

I stopped for a walk in Veterans Park in Arlington on my way to Arlington's International District.

As you can see in the picture someone has laid flowers at the feet of the soldier who guards the Veterans Park Memorial.

It is Memorial Day Weekend, which likely is the reason for the flowers at the feet of the soldier who guards the Veterans Park Memorial.

I called my eldest sister whilst walking in Veterans Park. This eventually had me sitting on a park bench which caused my visit to Veterans Park to last much longer than I had anticipated.

In about a week my eldest sister is leaving Washington on a 3 month trip to Alaska, via the Alaskan Highway. She will be transporting herself, my ex-wife and 3 dogs in a bus sized, high-tech RV, which gets a couple miles per gallon.

Behind the RV my sister will be towing her Honda SUV. At some point after they make it to Anchorage the RV will be anchored at a RV storage spot, with the Honda SUV unhitched to serve as their vehicular transport to the Arctic Circle.

I have seen my sister's latest RV only once, on August 4 of 2008 at Bay View State Park. The RV is push button operated. Push a button and the bedroom expands. Push a button and the living room expands. Push a button and the flat screen TV appears. Push a button and Rosie the Robot delivers an adult beverage.

I made that last one up.

I like to stay in motels, rather than drive a motel on wheels.

All but less than a mile of the Alaskan Highway is paved these days. There are no longer long stretches without services.  Wi-fi is available at the campgrounds along the highway, so my sister will be emailing photos.

I have only been to Alaska once, a long long time ago. That trip was not made via a RV and the Alaskan Highway, it was via Alaskan Airlines, landing in Juneau. And then getting on a float plane to go to Hoonah, then Alaska Ferry to Sitka, then Alaskan Airlines back to Seattle.

Listening For The Sound Of Music On The HOT Tandy Hills

In the picture you are looking north on the Tandy Hills, about 4 hours before the hills come alive with the sound of music.

And people.

But, the hills were people free, except for me, in the noon time frame today.

Prairie Fest x3 Part 3 starts up in about an hour.

I am currently not in a very festive mood.

I talked to my mom this morning. My mom tasked me with the task of calling a cousin I've not seen in decades. I don't like making cold calls.

Elsie Hotpepper may or may not go see The General tonight at Movie Night on the Prairie. I am experiencing Elsie Hotpepper type ambivalence on The General viewing too.

The hill hiking was highly humid today. The temperature was in the upper 80s, but felt way HOTTER due to that vexing humidity problem.

I know today's Prairie Fest event is solar powered, including solar powering the movie projector. What I don't know is if there is solar powered air-conditioning. I suppose one could consider wind to be solar powered air-conditioning. I know the wind blowing on the hills today had a pleasant cooling effect at times.

Tonight Is Movie Night On The Prairie At Prairie Fest x3 Part 3

Sometime this coming summer the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle will see the first new drive-in movie theater open in America in decades.

If you can not wait til summer to watch a movie under the stars head to the Tandy Hills Natural Area, today, to Prairie Fest x3 Part 3, where tonight is Movie Night on the Prairie.

The movie tonight on the Tandy Hills is the Buster Keaton classic, The General, a movie Orson Welles considered possibly the best movie ever made.

I don't know if Orson Welles verbalized this opinion before or after he filmed Citizen Kane.

• Movie start time is approximately 8:45 pm.
• Seating is on the grass in front of the stage.
• Food & Beverage by Chadra Mezza & Grill, Good Karma Kitchen and The Wiener Man.
• Nature Hikes and Live Music from 4 - 8 pm at Prairie Fest x3.
• Admission is FREE to Prairie Fest and Movie Night.

See you tonight at the movies!

What Is Happening At My Neighborhood Chesapeake Energy Natural Gas Drilling Operation?

The past couple days I've been perplexed to the point of bum puzzlement wondering what is going on at my neighborhood Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale Natural Gas hole in the ground.

Bulldozers have moved a lot of dirt. Pipes and equipment have been moved in.

Along with an outhouse.

The most curious looking thing is the metal wall you see behind the bulldozer.

There have been many a gas drilling location where I wonder how they can run a pipe to carry the non-odorized natural gas that pops out after a successful fracturing.

The Scott Avenue Chesapeake Energy operation turned notorious with its proposed pipeline route along Carter Avenue. That turned into quite a brouhaha, including protests in front of the Tarrant County Courthouse.

How will the gas from my neighborhood Chesapeake operation be moved? To the south is an Albertsons with a stripmall of other businesses. To the east is Loop 820. To the north, as you can see in the picture, is storage units and an apartment complex. To the west is another apartment complex.

How is the gas going to leave my neighborhood Chesapeake Eneergy operation?

Walking Around Fosdkck Lake Thinking About Relative Issues & My Youngest Aunt

In the picture you are looking at Fosdick Lake in Oakland (Lake) Park, through a heavily vegetated area.

Speaking of heavily vegetated areas, the layer of slimy looking green vegetation that has covered a large area of Fosdick Lake in recent weeks, appears to have shrunk.

It was not very hot when I went on a walk. Somewhere in the 80s.

Prior to going walking I was up in Hurst this morning. On the way back from Hurst I talked to my Arizona sister. We've have had a couple relative issues come up in the past 48 hours that has me feeling a bit melancholy.

I last saw my youngest aunt, she being my mom's little sister, back on August 11, 2001, one month before the infamous 9/11 date. My youngest aunt was at my sister's in Kent for my mom and dad's 50th Anniversary. August 11 is not my mom and dad's anniversary. The actual date is August 6. Hiroshima Day. August 11 is the birthday of my mom and dad's eldest son, which is how I remember what date it was I last saw my youngest aunt.

My youngest aunt was a marathon runner, but eventually stopped running when arthritis arrived. My youngest aunt was always a blond and always reminded me of Doris Day.

I was very surprised to get a call from my mom the night before last telling me that my youngest aunt is ailing bad, she'd had cancer and now Alzheimer's and is not expected to live much longer.

Then yesterday my youngest sister and I were exchanging emails in which the health of another relative was talked about. About 7 I was on Facebook and got a message from someone in Washington telling me that that relative had died the night before. I then called mom and dad to tell them.

I tell you, you have to live for today, not hold grudges and be sure to realize every time you see someone may be the last time you see them. Then act accordingly. I had a great time with my youngest aunt the last time I saw her. Our senses of humor are similar.

I remember my youngest aunt asking me why in the world I moved to Texas. I then asked my youngest aunt why in the world she moved to Alaska.

Buffer from relatives was her answer.

Which is where I learned that phrase.

Hot On The Tandy Hills Thinking About The Possible New Fort Worth Cowtown Wakepark Lake Public Swimming Hole

In the picture you are on the Tandy Hills, looking north, across the I-30 freeway, at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth and its 4, or 5, short skyscrapers.

Currently the outer world at my location is heated to 92 degrees, with the Heat Index, meaning humidity, making it feel like 97.

To my delicate heat sensibilities it felt way HOTTER than 97, today on the hills.

I may have gotten myself a much needed dose of aerobically induced endorphin stimulation, but I also had myself an unneeded steambath.

Soon, I hope, the humidity will dramatically lessen and the steambath will turn into a much more pleasant sauna.

My swimming pool is currently disabled, so there was no swimming this morning. The water had to be drained in order to replace a burned out light bulb. Without a functioning light bulb the pool does not glow with the appropriate level of blue brightness in the nighttime darkness. The pool is currently slowly refilling. I do not know if it will have enough water in it for an appropriate swim tomorrow morning.

Speaking of swimming.

This coming weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. Usually thought of as the start of summer, even though the summer solstice is not til June 20.

FW Weekly has its annual Summer section in this week's edition. The Summer section is full of fun ideas of things to do during the HOT time of the year.

I could not help but notice that I saw no ads for the notorious Cowtown Wakepark.

Has the Cowtown Wakepark already met its easily predicted fate of going out of business?

If so, methinks, since the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle already wasted money building the Wakepark Lake, that that lake should be turned into Fort Worth's first public swimming hole. I'm sure it would not cost a significant amount of the Boondoggle's nearly billion dollar budget to figure how to install some aerating fountains and other methods to clean up that little lake's water to make it palatable for humans.

Why, the Cowtown Wakepark Lake, cleaned up, might even make a sane place to hold J.D. Granger's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats, free of any alligator, gar fish, water moccasin, nutria, turtle or floating feces dangers.

A Closed Flimsy Gate Kept Me Out Of Quanah Parker Park Today

Do Not Run In To This Flimsy Gate

This has been a very discombobulating Wednesday day in May. I think much of the discombob-ulation came from a bad bout of nightmares last night, the worst of which had me waking up kicking a wall.

I had a long swim, early this morning. That helped mitigate some of the discombobulation.

And then, after swimming, I had a couple hours of doctor related discombobulation up in Hurst. I am not a fan of doctor related discombobulation.

Due to all this discombobulation I was not much in the mood to overheat getting endorphins from overly strenuous aerobic stimulation. So, no hills for me today.

Sometime after 3 I headed to Town Talk to get pork ribs for my Memorial Day BBQ. I got enough pork ribs to feed a lot of pigs.

On the way to Town Talk I thought a short walk at Quanah Parker Park might be a good thing, what with the temperature being so HOT (93) and a strong wind blowing.

But, upon arrival at Quanah Parker Park I found the park still closed by a flimsy gate blocking access.

This seems a bit dangerous to me. The flimsy gate is only about 15 feet from the turn off from Randol Mill Road. Not expecting a park to be gated, I can see how one could easily plow into this flimsy gate. Why is there no STOP sign on this gate, like I see when Village Creek Natural Historical Area is closed due to flooding?

Orange Cones Close Fort Worth Park

Quanah Parker Park has been closed ever since our last bout of rain.

Today, I walked past the closed flimsy gate, past the orange sign that informs anyone getting past the flimsy closed gate that the right lane is closed ahead.

I walked til I saw what was causing the closure.

It appears that a bit of erosion has eroded a little bit of the ride side of the road.

This would seem as if it were something easy to fix.

Fort Worth needs to get this fixed immediately, lest the town fall even further down in the rankings of America's big towns and their parks.

The Trust For Public Land ParkScore Project Ranks Fort Worth Better Than Los Angeles But Worse Than Dallas

The Trust for Public Land is a conservation group that claims to be America's leader in creating city parks and raising money for local conservation. The Trust for Public Land conserves land for everyone to enjoy as parks, gardens, and other natural places.

There is a section of the Trust for Public land website devoted to their ParkScore Project.

Part of the ParkScore Project ranks America's 40 Largest Cities and their Park Systems.

The ParkScore Project rates cities in three areas: park access, which measures the percentage of residents living within a 10-minute walk of a park; park size, including the city's median park size and the percentage of total city area dedicated to parks; and services and investment, which factors in playgrounds per 10,000 residents and park spending per capita.

None of the big towns in Texas ranked in the Top 10. Austin managed to be in the Top 20. Austin has some mighty fine parks. I would have guessed Austin would have ranked higher. But, Austin was tied with  Long Beach for the #20 spot.

Phoenix fared only slightly better than Austin. Having recently enjoying the fine parks of Phoenix, I am surprised Phoenix is not in the Top 10.

Dallas came in at #21. With the sister city of Dallas, Fort Worth at #24.

Fort Worth was ahead of Los Angeles, which was #25. The only park I remember being in in Los Angeles is Griffith Park. And the La Brea Tarpits. And Disneyland. But, Disneyland is not in Los Angeles.

All the towns in the Top 10 are on either the East or West Coast. Except for Sacramento, which is a bit inland. I think Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia may be a bit inland, as well.

Below are the ParkScore Ratings...

1. San Francisco
2. Sacramento, Calif.
3. (tie) Boston
3. (tie) New York
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Portland, Ore.
7. Virginia Beach, Va.
8. San Diego
9. Seattle
10. Philadelphia
11. Albuquerque
12. San Jose, Calif.
13. Denver
14. Chicago
15. Baltimore
16. (tie) Kansas City, Mo.
16. (tie) Milwaukee
16. (tie) Phoenix
19. (tie) Long Beach, Calif.
19. (tie) Austin
21. Dallas
22. Detroit
23. Las Vegas
24. Fort Worth
25. Los Angeles
26. Atlanta
27. (tie) El Paso
27. (tie) Columbus, Ohio
29. Nashville
30. Houston
31. (tie) Tucson, Ariz.
31. (tie) Memphis
33. Oklahoma City
34. Jacksonville, Fla.
35. San Antonio
36. (tie) Indianapolis
36. (tie) Mesa, Ariz.
38. Louisville, Ky.
39. Charlotte, N.C.
40. Fresno, Calif.

Memorial Day Weekend With Turner Falls Park, Tandy Tumbleweeds & Prairie Fest x3 With Buster Keaton's The General

Tandy Tumbleweed Wannabes

The hill hiking was a little HOT today on the Tandy Hills, what with not much of a wind blowing.

Currently we are once more under the specter of an Air Quality Alert. I don't know how alarmed I should be about this alert.

Currently the thermometer is measuring the temperature at 87 degrees, with the lack of wind and the humidity making the real feel of the temperature 10 degrees warmer, at 97.

Wildflower season is now past its prime, on the Tandy Hills. Instead of a vast array of colors, currently the color scheme on the prairie is mostly shades of green.

Today I came upon the forest of big bushy weeds, you see in the above picture, looking like possible tumbleweeds in the making. I don't think we grow tumbleweeds on this part of the planet.

A few minutes ago I realized that this coming weekend is the Memorial Day Weekend. I realized this when I looked at my Google stats and saw a lot of hits on Turner Falls Park. Then I looked at my calendar and saw that this coming Monday, May 28, is Memorial Day.

Part Three of Prairie Fest x3 is this coming Saturday. This may be the biggest Memorial Day Weekend event in North Texas. When the sun goes down on Saturday it will be Movie Night on the Prairie, with Buster Keaton's The General being view under the stars.

I may be there with Elsie Hotpepper.

John Kent Sets The Record Straight Regarding Fort Worth's Skyscraper Situation

In the picture you are looking at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

The current population of Fort Worth, according to Google Public Data is 741,206.

Regarding beautiful downtown Fort Worth, over time I may have made remarks along the line of downtown Fort Worth is the smallest downtown of any town in America with a population over 500,000.

Or downtown Fort Worth is the only downtown in a town with a population over 500,000 with no downtown department store. Or a real grocery store.

Or the skyline of Fort Worth is the most nondescript skyline of any town in America with a population over 500,000.

And, somewhere on my enormous Eyes on Texas website I apparently said Fort Worth has the fewest skyscrapers of any city in America with a population over a half million.

The fewest skyscrapers remark provoked John Kent to give me some Eyes on Texas feedback...

Hi,

Was browsing your site when I ran across this sentence:

The Tower's major facelift has turned it, arguably, into Fort Worth's most attractive skyscraper, admittedly a narrow field of competition since Fort Worth has the fewest skyscrapers of any city in America with a population over a half million.

For sure, Fort Worth is embarrassingly bereft of tall buildings. However, El Paso, San Jose, Tucson, Memphis – all cities with more than 500,000 people – are even more skyscraper-deprived than Fort Worth.

Even San Antonio, with more than 1 million residents, is barely on par with Fort Worth in the skyscraper domain. There’s the Tower of the Americas, at more than 600 feet, but then you have just one building over 500 feet, compared to Fort Worth, which has three buildings over 500 feet. Both cities have three buildings over 400 feet. San Antonio has three more 300’+ buildings than Fort Worth; Fort Worth has three more 200’+ buildings than San Antonio. Just sayin’.

Also, downtown Fort Worth now has a grocery store.

Thanks for listening.

John Kent

Fort Worth's Polluted Fosdick Lake Got Me Thinking About A Pig War & Cod Fishing In The San Juan Islands

The Ick was in full force in Fosdick Lake today. The layer of slimy looking green vegetation has grown thicker and more widespread since my last visit to Oakland (Lake) Park.

Today I saw many turtles on logs, diving into the slime when I got too close. So, the turtles are doing okay with the Ick in Fosdick. Or so it seems.

And I saw one guy fishing.

Casting a hook through that layer of thick green gunk to try and catch a fish that you are advised not to eat, seems real odd to me.

I've never been much of a fan of fishing, except for enjoying, a time or two or three, jigging for cod out in the San Juan Islands.

The San Juan Islands are in Washington, an archipelago of 172 islands, six of which are big enough to be inhabited and accessed by Washington State Ferry boats.

The San Juan Islands is where one of America's least deadly wars took place.

The Pig War.

A pig was the only fatality in the Pig War.

The modern day San Juan Islands are known more for being a big tourist attraction than the location of a war. The San Juan Islands are in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, thus getting way less rain than a place like Seattle gets.

I am almost 100% certain that the San Juan Islands were not the result of a public works project run by a corrupt congresswoman's unqualified son. I don't think nepotism is legal in Washington.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Needs Citizen Kane To Come To Town

Last night I watched the movie many consider to be the best movie ever made.

Citizen Kane.

I'd not watched Citizen Kane in a long long time. Watching Citizen Kane in 2012 was a different experience than when my much younger eyes watched Citizen Kane back in the last century.

My Texas experience caused me to see something in Citizen Kane I would not have made note of prior to moving to Texas.

Previous to moving to Texas I'd never lived in a town without a real newspaper.

I am not alone in thinking Fort Worth does not have a real newspaper.

There has been a time or two where a person or two has asked me why I say Fort Worth has no real newspaper, with the person telling me the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is a real newspaper.

Which has me telling the person, no, the Star-Telegram is not a real newspaper.

Just one example. In a town with a real newspaper, when something happens like the Paradise Center Scandal, that scandal would be considered newsworthy.

There was a moment last night, while watching Citizen Kane, that I thought of the Star-Telegram and Fort Worth's lack of a real newspaper.

Charles Foster Kane was working on his first edition of his newly acquired newspaper, the Daily Inquirer, when Kane decides he wants a Declaration of Principles to be printed on the front page.

Kane's Declaration of Principles: "I will provide the people of this city with a daily paper that will tell all the news honestly. I will also provide them with a fighting and tireless champion of their rights as citizens and as human beings."

Does that sound like the Star-Telegram? Providing a fighting, tireless champion of its reader's rights as citizens and as human beings?

Again, the Paradise Center Scandal comes to mind.

Kane also said, "It's also my pleasure to see to it that decent, hard-working people in this community aren't robbed blind by a pack of money-mad pirates, just because they haven't had anybody to look after their interests..."

Money-mad pirates? Chesapeake Energy comes to mind.

Below is a YouTube video of the scene in Citizen Kane that brought Fort Worth's lack of a real newspaper to mind....

Prairie Festx3...Grand Finale...May 26

Just in from the Don of the Tandy Hills........

The last of three Spring festivals continues...
Saturday, May 26, 2012

• Wildflower-Prairie Hikes for all ages
• Solar-powered Live Music 
• Food and Brews 
• Movie Night on the Prairie

Come celebrate your connection to the natural world!

NEW for May 26 . . . 

• Movie Night on the Prairie debuts featuring,The General, starring Buster Keaton
• Plein air painters will be setting up easels and painting the prairie
• NEW Science-based Hikes for kids and families (see website for details)
• LIVE Musical performances (see below)
• Sponsor Info Booths including, Whole Foods Market, Electronic Waste Disposal, Greenling, Arlington Conservation Council, Tarrant County Green Party, Prairie Keepers and Texas Bluebird Society.

Event Hours
4 pm - Dusk
Movie Night starts at 8:45 pm  (Film running time: 78 minutes)
All FREE and open to the public

Stage  Schedule
4 pm: Sunshine Emery
5 pm: Fontanelle featuring, Jeff Prince & James Michael Taylor
6 pm: Rabbit's Got the Gun
7 pm: Pablo & the Hemphill 7
8:45 pm: Movie Night on the Prairie sponsored by, The Citizen Theater

Anonymous Says Constables Are Miniature United States Marshalls

A John Constable Landscape Painting

This afternoon I wanted an image of a Constable. Googling images of Constable got me dozens, upon dozens of paintings by John Constable. But, no images of the type Constable I wanted an image of.

Why did I want an image of a Constable?

Well, two Saturdays ago, May 12, voting took place all over North Texas. At that point in time, I mentioned that of all the issues and people that were being voted on, the only race I was even remotely curious about was Glen Bucy running for Constable.

I eventually learned that that particular election did not take place May 12, instead it takes place later this month.

The reason I know Glen Bucy is running for Constable is because I see this referenced in Facebook every day. That is how I know that Glen Bucy's opponent has spent a small fortune to try and get elected Constable.

I figure the Constable position must pay well if someone is willing to spend a small fortune to win the job.

The day after May 12's election was Mother Day. I mentioned in my annual Mother's Day blogging that I had not yet learned if Glen Bucy was elected Constable. I believe that was when I was told the election had not yet taken place.

In that Mother's Day blogging titled Happy Mother's Day To All The World's Mothers in the part about Glen Bucy running for Constable, I said, "The Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy had a bizarre focus on the Glen Bucy Constable race that did not make much sense to me. I don't know what function a Constable performs. I know you don't have to be a cop to be one."

Now, someone named Anonymous, today, made a comment on that Mother's Day blogging, commenting about Constables and Glen Bucy....

Constables are sorta like miniature U.S. marshals, whose main duties involve carrying out orders of the 7 small claims courts in Tarrant county, especially serving Eviction notices and sometimes assisting with throwing people and their belongings out of a dwelling.

A man of Glen Bucy's caliber should seek a more substantial public service position, like as a FW City council rep when he was still a college student four years ago. He might not be getting the best political advice. He'll be a good asset to the community wherever he serves. Was just hoping he would take the seats of some other asses who control our tax dollars and formulate our public policies...and not use his talents to help landlords, sometimes slumlords, put people out on the street. 

Wikipedia has a very long article on the Constable subject. But no picture of a Constable. The Wikipedia article covers the entire world history of this job and how it varies from country to country and state to state.

Between what I learned in the Wikipedia article and what Anonymous had to say, I am sort of wondering why Glen Bucy wants this job.

Glen Bucy is a very smart guy, a very good speaker, with a high likability/charisma factor. The only thing about Glen Bucy that I see as a bit of a shortcoming is he calls himself a Conservative Republican. But then he mitigates that by adding that he is a Conservative Republican in the Ronald Reagan mold.

I liked Ronald Reagan. I think I may have voted for him at least once.

Arson On The Tandy Hills

Sometime between noon Saturday and noon today someone lit the Tandy Hills on fire.

The burned area is near the end of the trail that enters the Tandy Hills from the View Street Park.

The Tandy Hills are still green. Not in wildfire mode. To have burned this area I suspect some flammable liquid had to have been used, like gasoline or lighter fluid.

When this fire was burning it would have been visible from the I-30 freeway, which you can see part of in the background, in front of the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

The burned area is surrounded by rocky trail, thus making a fire stop. Without the fire stop I don't know if this fire would have spread, what with the Tandy Hills prairie is in its current mostly green state, seemingly non-combustible state.

But, regardless of whatever level of combustibility is current existing on the prairie, the Tandy Hills Arsonist must be stopped..

UPDATE: Now this is embarrassing. I have been informed that when I was at the Tandy Hills on Saturday that the burned mesquite bush I saw today was already burned when I walked by it on Saturday. I really need to learn to be more observant of my surroundings.

The 3rd Sunday Of May Dawns Late

I had an overnight guest who had me up late last night and up late this Sunday morning.

I am not a huge fan of having overnight guests. Although there are some aspects I find entertaining.

So, the view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world comes well after the arrival of the sun this Sunday morning.

I think I have grown bored with showing my one longtime reader the view each morning from either my primary or secondary viewing portal on the outer world, and then informing that one longtime reader what the current temperature is at my location.

I have already gone swimming this morning. It was a very pleasant swim.

Of late my Sunday habit has been to go to ALDI. I am not going to ALDI this particular Sunday.

A Windy Blue Sky Under The Tandy Bamboo Teepee Today With No Missing Prairie Dogs

In the picture you are looking skyward under the remnants of the Tandy Bamboo Teepee.

It is well over a year, now, that a dozen, give or take a pole or two, bamboo poles appeared near the center of the Tandy Hills, in a small open area, surrounded by a grove of brush and trees, with several of the bamboo poles assembled into being what looked like the framework of a teepee.

The Tandy Bamboo Teepee has blown down a couple times, but always gets resurrected.

It remains a mystery who it was who brought these bamboo poles to the Tandy Hills. Hauling in all those poles would have required a bit of effort, carrying them up and down a minimum of two hills.

A very strong wind was blowing whilst I was getting my endorphin inducing aerobically stimulating hill hiking today in the noon time frame. So, even though the air was being heated to a temperature somewhere in the 80s, the wind chill factor had it almost feeling chilly.

On the way to the Tandy Hills I saw that the big Dog Missing billboard on Meadowbrook Drive had been removed. As had other Dog Missing posters along View Street.

So, when I saw the Dog Missing sign was still up at Town Talk, I took it down.

I have been asked if a Welcome Home Olive party type deal is being added to next Saturday's Prairie Fest x3 Part 3.

How would I know?

But, it sounds like a good idea. Olive the Prairie Dog strikes me as the type dog who likes a good party.

The Saturday Morning Of May Day 19 With No Air Quality Alert

Looking skyward through the bars of my patio prison cell I see some clouds slightly clouding the clear blue sky this May Day 19, the 3rd Saturday of the 5th month of 2012.

Currently it is 69 degrees in the outer world at my location, heading to a high 20 degrees hotter.

The Air Quality Alert that I've been being alerted with the past several days is not alerting me this morning.

Last night, before the setting of the sun, I had myself a severe bout of eye irritation, burning, the likes of which I remember years ago in Los Angeles, whilst waiting in line at Universal Studios, that being the first time I experienced smog as a miserably bad thing.

I dripped Artificial Tears eye lubricant drops into the burning area, which fairly quickly abated the burning.

This is the first morning in 5 that we don't have a missing Olive the Prairie Dog to worry about.

The FW Weekly Blotch Blog has an amusing entry about the return of Olive titled Olive is Home.

It is that time in the morning where I am scheduled to go swimming, likely followed, later today, by some hill hiking. And then a visit to Town Talk.

Olive The Prairie Dog Is Home!

I was just finishing the previous blogging, where I mentioned, again, Olive the Formerly Missing Prairie Dog, when I got a call from Big Ed telling me he'd just seen on Facebook that Olive has been returned home.

On Facebook this is what Don Young had to say....

Guess who's back? OLIVE the prairie dog! Don't ever think that plastering the town with lost dog signs is an overkill. We did an overkill and it paid off. A nice gentleman who works nearby saw Olive outside last Sunday and was concerned animal control might get her. A few days later he saw our big signs and today we got the call that many wish for but few ever receive. Debora and I are very grateful for all your prayers, lighted candles and positive thoughts.

I'm being amazed at how fast the news of Olive the Prairie Dog's return is spreading. I'm getting emails, blog comments and phone calls telling me this happy, good news.

Getting My Daily Endorphin Fix Looking For Olive The Prairie Dog

On the way to the Tandy Hills today I came upon a big billboard offering a reward for the return of the Mascot of the Tandy Hills, Olive the Missing Prairie Dog.

I am guessing that Perro Perdido means Lost Dog in Spanish. But, this is just a wild guess. I am not bilingual.

The case of Olive the Missing Prairie Dog bothers me a lot. I don't really know why. I've only met Olive a couple times.

I remember how bad I felt when I was in college and learned our little poodle, named Peppy, went missing. I remember how bad I felt when my cat, Hortense, went missing for a few days.

My Prickly Pear Patch

I know how bad I felt when my bike was stolen. A bike going missing is nothing compared to Olive the Prairie Dog going missing. Having a bike stolen is just aggravating, it wasn't something that I felt mournful about.

After I took a picture of the Olive the Missing Prairie Dog billboard I continued on to the top of Mount Tandy to get me some aerobic stimulation and that peaceful feeling that comes from endorphins.

Being an endorphin addict is a difficult monkey to have on your back. If I don't get a regular fix I don't feel right. After I get a fix I'm good to go for a few hours. And then I need another fix.

I have tried to break myself of my endorphin addiction, but I am too much of a wimp to endure the withdrawal pains and always give in and go get another fix.

I wish there was some sort of support group I could join where I'd learn how to peacefully sit still for long periods in a sedentary state eating potato chips.

I just got some BIG news. I'm going to hit the publish button then go read about it and then blog it.

The Morning Of May Day 18 Being Alert About The Air Quality

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on the morning of May Day 18 it appears to be yet one more blue sky morning in North Texas.

A blue sky morning chilled to 68 degrees, heading to a predicted high of 87. Yesterday heated up into the 90s. I don't know why today is predicted to be colder.

Yet again we are being told to be on alert regarding the air quality.

I don't quite know how I am supposed to be vigilant about the air. I have my windows open so as to help me be alert regarding what is going on with the air this morning.

Currently the air seems to be fairly stationary, thus not enabling any wind chill effect.

I am hoping by midday a wind chill will be in effect to help mitigate the steambath effect that occurs whilst I go hill hiking on the Tandy Hills in the noon time frame.

In the meantime I am going swimming before it gets any hotter.

Biking With Bobcats Tonight In River Legacy Park While Looking For Olive The Missing Prairie Dog

River Legacy Bobcat

Tonight I decided to expand the search for Olive the Missing Prairie Dog to River Legacy Park in Arlington.

That and I've decided I don't get enough exercise.

That is not a dog in the picture. That is a River Legacy Park bobcat. It had been a couple years since I've had a bobcat encounter.

My first bobcat encounter was on the River Legacy mountain bike trail. Years ago. It was during a period of time when there were reports of cougar sightings along the Trinity River.

I was pedaling fast, deep in the woods of the mountain bike trail, when suddenly I saw a bobcat. I was sure it was waiting to pounce on me and have me for lunch. I skidded to a stop and had a stare down with the beast. Then I high tailed it out of there, going the wrong way on the one-way trail to hurry to warn the park ranger of the imminent bobcat danger.

When I found a ranger she acted like I was a silly kid getting all excited over nothing. Because, as it turns out, I was.

Politely Posing

I have had many bobcat encounters in the years since my first. I long ago learned if you act nonchalant, so does the bobcat.

When I saw the bobcat tonight, he was walking towards me on the paved trail. I stopped. He kept walking towards me. I got out my camera. Started taking pictures. He did not mind. He was intently studying something up in a tree.

After a couple minutes a pair of bikers came upon our serene scene and the bobcat ran into the bushes. The first biker saw what I was taking pictures of. He did not look too alarmed.

I think I am done with trying to get more exercise for the evening. I will try and be sedentary until morning when I go swimming.

A Shady Walk Today With The Indian Ghosts Of The Anadarko, Bidais, Caddo, Heechi, Kickapoo, Tawakoni, Tonkawa, Waco, Waxahachie and Wichita Tribes

Village Creek Indian Path

I was in no mood to overheat during my regular midday endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation today, what with the temperature approaching 90, not a lot of wind blowing and me already overheated due to having my phone against my ear for way too long this morning dealing with some ridiculousness that I later figured out was caused by something called Facebook.

It really is time for the next big thing to come along and replace Facebook, like Facebook replaced MySpace.

I digress.

So, with me in no mood to overheat, I opted to walk in the shade in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area with the Native American Ghosts of the Caddoan Confederacy, with that particular confederacy made up of tribes like the Anadarko, Bidais, Caddo, Heechi, Kickapoo, Tawakoni, Tonkawa, Waco, Waxahachie and Wichita.

I think only one state, that being my old home state of Washington, has more place names named after Native Americans than the current state I am located in, that being Texas. Washington is way smaller in size than Texas, so you would think Washington would have fewer Native American place names.

But, Washingtonians got along with Native Americans better than the Texans did. Which has towns in Washington, like Seattle, named after a well liked chief. While the biggest town in Texas is named after some white guy with the last name of Houston.

I decided to leave the paved trail today and take the old Indian Path that leads through the woods. This proved to be a bit of a mistake. All the excess precipitation has the old Indian Path a bit over grown. I was glad I had my trusty snake/spider web whacking stick with me.

I whacked no snakes, but I did do some spider web whacking.

The Mascot Of The Tandy Hills Olive The Prairie Dog Is Still Missing

I just read the above on Facebook.

Sickening.

If it is true that cretins are snatching small dogs to use as bait in pit bull fights, then methinks, even more so, what I've already opined.

That being that the Fort Worth Police need to be on the case of the missing Mascot of the Tandy Hills, Olive the Prairie Dog.

The Morning Of May Day 17 Thinking About Not Fracking In Vermont

Looking close-up, through my primary viewing portal on the outer world, on the morning of May Day 17, it appears to be yet one  more clear blue sky morning in North Texas.

Currently heated to 65, heading to a high of 88.

The National Weather Service continues to issue a daily "Air Quality Alert."

I don't know if it is the quality of the air which is causing my eyes to be irritated and leak, or what. The quality of the air is my prime suspect for this particular malady.

In gas fracking news, the governor of Vermont, Peter Shumlin, signed into law, yesterday, a ban on the hydraulic fracturing of subterranean shale. Vermont is the first state to ban the practice of fracking.

There are, currently, no gas drilling operations underway in Vermont and, currently, seismic testing has not found any underground trapped gas reserves.

I suspect having no underground trapped gas reserves made it slightly easier to ban hydraulic fracturing.

Meanwhile, yesterday in East Texas we had an increasingly less rare earthquake.

And now it is that time in the morning when I go swimming.

Continuing The Search For Olive The Missing Prairie Dog With The Tandy Hills Roadrunner

Everywhere I went today, after I left my abode, I saw LOST DOG posters tacked to various surfaces, alerting people to the BOLO (Be On The Lookout) for Olive the Missing Prairie Dog.

Via various media the news of the missing Mascot of the Tandy Hills continues to spread.

Due to the fact that Olive the Prairie Dog is a local celebrity dog I would think the Fort Worth Police would be in on the search, treating this case as a possible criminal dognapping.

If someone made a ransom demand, would that get the Fort Worth Police involved?

Last summer I was over at Miss Puerto Rico's, watching humanity pass below, from her balcony vantage point. Suddenly swarms of police cars were on the scene, dozens of police officers. We thought a super major crime must have taken place to warrant this level of police activity.

We saw the police chase and arrest a young man.

We went to ground level to learn that the person the police caught had stolen a pair of socks and a box of disposable baby diapers from the neighborhood Family Dollar store.

A pair of socks and a box of disposable baby diapers.

It was a Jean Valjean Les Miserables moment for me. You don't steal a pair of socks and diapers unless you are dire desperate. I thought the police response to be totally out of proportion to the crime.

And felt even more that way when a short time later my vehicle was broken into, with the steering column damaged and my bike stolen. Significantly more monetary damage than some stolen socks and a diaper. I called the Fort Worth Police. An hour later an officer showed up. He did not get out of his car. He did not make a report. He did talk to me at length about the JFK/Oswald Conspiracy and showed me some YouTube videos about that subject on his I-phone.

The Tandy Hills Roadrunner
Looking For Olive the Prairie Dog

So, are the Fort Worth Police on the case of the missing mascot of the Tandy Hills?

I saw a friend of Olive's today on the Tandy Hills who appeared to be looking for something. Maybe Olive?

It was the Tandy Hills Roadrunner.

He was out in the open, and in no hurry, at the Tandy View Street Park. He let me get close and take pictures, acting like he was posing. This went on for quite some time, to the point I was ready for the Roadrunner to do some running.

The Tandy Hills Roadrunner frequently visited Olive's yard, where Olive provided a water fountain. And might have given the Roadrunner something to eat. The Roadrunner sure did act as if he was desperately looking for something.

Where Oh Where Can Olive Be?