Biking Gateway Park At 107 Degrees Before Doing Some Crowded Town Talking On The Last Day Of August

The outer world was already 100 degrees HOT when I left my abode's air-conditioned comfort to drive to Gateway Park to do some mountain biking.

100 degrees, with the vexing heat index making it really feel like 107.

But, it really did not feel like 107 to me. Or even 100. Most of my pedaling took place under the shade of the Gateway Park jungle.

On the left you are looking at the Fort Worth Mountain Biking Association's sign that shows the various loops of the various miles of trails one can pedal on in Gateway Park.

Someone has taped another sign to the glass that protects the map. That taped sign says "Life is better on a mountain bike."

Some days life does seem to be better on a mountain bike. Rolling along at high speed on a single track trail usually does manage to elevate my mood. Endorphins released due to aerobic activity may account for some of the mood elevation.

Changing the subject from pedaling to something else.

I am appalled that today is already the last day of August. This month was eventful and flew by at hyperspeed. September will also likely disappear fast and by the start of October getting in the pool in the morning will start to be a bit bracing.

I went two times around my favorite Gateway Park mountain bike trail loop. And then it was off to Town Talk.

I have never seen Town Talk so crowded, with such long lines at the checkouts.

But, due to how efficiently the Town Talk checkers check, the wait was not long.

I got a lot of rabbit food today. Romaine lettuce, Iceberg lettuce, 10 pounds of broccoli crowns. Plus some non-rabbit food type stuff, like red onions, chicken legs, cheese, tortillas, bratwurst for my Labor Day Picnic and other stuff I am not remembering right now.

Speaking of food products. The lunch gong just went off. Time for a feeding.

Another HOT August Day In Texas With No Cooling Glaciers Available

My great nephew Spencer Jack's grandma, my favorite ex-sister-in-law, Cindy, knowing I am HOT today, as in a 104 HEAT index level of HOT, emailed me the cool looking photo you see on the left.

That big white mass of white is what is known as a glacier. That  particular glacier is one of many sliding down the slopes of the Mount Baker volcano, near my old home zone in Washington.

My favorite ex-sister-in-law has turned into a hiking maniac, something I really would never have envisioned her ever becoming back when she was my favorite sister-in-law.

Cindy has been going on some of the more grueling hikes I have ever been on. Like her hike last week to the Park Butte Lookout, which is the vantage point from which Cindy took the above photo.

I have blogged about Cindy's hiking exploits a couple times. Last Sunday in a blogging titled Hiking To The Park Butte Lookout With Cindy & Michele and today in a blogging titled More Mount Baker Hiking With Cindy, Michele, Ginny & Jeremy.

Jeremy is my youngest nephew. In today's blogging about Cindy hiking I included a couple photos of Jeremy in the same location, one of which is one of my all time favorite photos. Jeremy was only 7 when that photo was taken.

I wonder if he remembers the trauma he experienced that day. I will have to remember to ask the next time I talk to my favorite nephew Jeremy.

Clicking through locations on my computer based temperature monitoring device my location is once again the HOTTEST.

HOTTER than Phoenix.

With Western Washington shivering in the 70s. Which is to be expected, what with all those big cooling glaciers sliding down mountains....

Pondering A Labor Day Weekend Visit To Turner Falls Park In Oklahoma With A Stop For Coffee At WinStar World Casino

In the picture you are looking at the biggest waterfall in Oklahoma.

Turner Falls.

In Turner Falls Park in Davis, Oklahoma.

That is my little head barely out of the water, directly under the raging water of Turner Falls.

The visit to Turner Falls Park that found me getting wet was during a very HOT August day in the year 2000.

A couple years after that visit to Turner Falls Park I returned, with Gar the Texan, on a cold winter day, with that cold winter day being the first Saturday of the new year of 2002.

I know the precise date of that winter visit to Turner Falls because I just looked at the Turner Falls Park in Winter webpage I made documenting that visit.

On the winter visit to Turner Falls there was a lot more water raging over the falls than there was during the August visit. So much water was flowing through Honey Creek that it was flooding over one of the creek crossings one crosses to get to Turner Falls.

The reason Turner Falls Park came to mind this morning is I noticed a HUGE jump in visits to my Turner Falls Park webpage when I checked my website stats.

For a second or two I wondered why there was a Turner Falls Park webpage visitor's spike. Then I remembered this is Labor Day Weekend.

Turner Falls Park will likely be packed with visitors this Labor Day Weekend, to the point access may be denied to late comers. It is a big park, but there is only so much parking in the park.

A Labor Day Weekend drive up to Turner Falls Park sounds like a really fine time. With a stop at WinStar World Casino on the way north, or the way back south. WinStar World Casino has one of the best buffets I have ever buffeted at. With what may be the most tasty coffee I have ever tasted.

On The Last Thursday Of August Texas Sizzles At 101 While Washington Shivers At 73

101 feeling like 102 this last Thursday afternoon of August.

I was not out in the HEAT too much today. My longest HEAT exposure occurred this morning in Arlington during one of the annual vehicle emissions inspections.

And then later there was a HOT walk to Albertsons to get this week's FW Weekly.

And then late in the afternoon I felt the need to yell at Miss Puerto Rico about something, so I hunted her down and did the necessary yelling, which had Miss Puerto Rico laughing because she's not heard me do all that much yelling. I think I may have been laughing too. It was a bit funny.

Checking temperatures this afternoon I found I am the HOTTEST of any of the temperatures I check. My mom and dad in the Phoenix zone are currently not even above 100 degrees, chilling at 98. With rain and flash flood warnings. It is the monsoon time of year in Arizona.

While my current home zone is being heated to a HOT 101, my old home zone is being naturally chilled to an icy 73.

I keep my air-conditioning set to around 80.

If I were up in Washington, right now, I would be shivering, with the locals not understanding why I am thinking I am cold.

Some of the Washington locals can be so insensitive when it comes to understanding how cold their climate is to one who lives in a HOT part of the planet.

This morning the pool actually felt a bit cool for the first time in a long time. That bit of cool is a harbinger of cooler pools to come.

If I remember right, by the end of September it becomes a bit more challenging to get in the pool. And then by the end of October I have to involve the hot tub in the process to make it work.

Tomorrow morning I do not think I will need to do any warming up in the hot tub.

Miley Cyrus Has Me Wanting To Go Twerking Friday Night At Billy Bob's With Connie D

Did Betty White really say what it indicates she said in the graphic on the left?

I saw this on Facebook, via the Fort Worth Connie D.

This is the funniest thing I have read regarding the extremely serious Miley Cyrus MTV VMA brouhaha.

The Miley Cyrus MTV VMA brouhaha caused me to learn a new technical term.

Twerking.

I had never heard of this twerk word before last Monday morning. I had no idea what twerking was. Even after I watched the Miley Cyrus MTV VMA embarrassment I still did not really understand what twerking was.

So, I researched this serious twerking subject and blogged about this technical twerking issue on my Durango Tech No blog in a blogging titled The Miley Cyrus MTV VMA Twerking Caused Me To Learn A New Word & Dance Move, where, in addition to sharing the technical definition of twerking, I also included a video that teaches one the art of the twerking dance moves.

I am considering replacing my salubrious daily hour of  early morning endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation, gained by swimming, with an hour of salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation gained by twerking.

I wonder if Connie D would like to go twerking with me Friday night at Billy Bob's?

A Discombobulating Detour Through Haltom City

Today started off fine with my regular early morning swim.

As noon approached a doctor's visit in Euless began to have a discombobulating effect on the day.

After an uneventful lunch I decided to drive north the short 6 mile distance to ALDI.

Driving to the ALDI in Hurst takes me through the 121/820 road construction mess.

On the way north through the mess the signage confused me, the new road alignment added to the confusion. I thought I was on the correct lane, the one heading to D/FW Airport and Precinct Line Road. Instead I was on the flyover that exits to Davis Boulevard.

No big deal.

I had intended to take the TCC/Davis Boulevard exit if the freeway appeared jammed when I got to that location.

When I got to ALDI I saw that Precinct Line Road was backed up worse than I'd ever seen it. My intention had been to take backroads to return to my abode, after ALDI.

When I exited ALDI and turned on to Precinct Line Road it soon became apparent that the 5 southbound lanes were being squeezed down to two. But, the freeway entry lane option was clear sailing. So, I changed my mind and decided to take the freeway, 5 minutes to home, option.

Big mistake.

Again the construction had changed the road alignment since I'd last passed through this mess. The signage again confused me. And before I could fix the mistake I found myself heading west on 820 for the first time in years.

I figured I'd get off at the first exit and make my way south on surface streets. Good plan, but there were no exits. All were closed. Til I got to Rufe Snow Road. Eventually, after waiting through maybe 5 green light cycles I reached the spot you see in the photo above.

I took a left when that light turned green and headed south on Rufe Snow. Eventually I came to 183. I headed west on 183, thinking I'd quickly come to Beach Street, then make my way past Town Talk, then home on Randol Mill.

Eventually I did make it to Beach Street, but not before a mighty fine tour of beautiful downtown Haltom City where I saw that the Haltom City Theater is celebrating being alive for 65 years and is in need of some sprucing up.

I think today was the most driving I have done in the D/FW zone since my mom and dad were here in 2009. By the time I got back to air-conditioned comfort I felt like I'd driven 70 to 80 miles. But, my odometer indicated the reality was I'd only driven 22 miles.

I don't think I will be driving to the Hurst ALDI anymore til the road construction is complete. Why is it seeming like deja vu, me saying that?

Please Help Fort Worth Weekly's Peter Gorman

Incoming from Elsie Hotpepper pointed me to the need to please help Peter Gorman.

Peter Gorman is an award winning journalist who wrote some of Fort Worth Weekly's more memorable pieces, such as Can of Worms, regarding the can of worms known as Haltom City.

Deep in the Peruvian jungle Peter Gorman found himself three staph infections which have turned into an ongoing battle.

A webpage in indiegogo.com titled Help Peter Gorman Please has been set up, along with a Facebook page title Help Peter Gorman Please.

The indiegogo.com article says in part....

Peter is a noted and award-winning journalist and adventurer - also a damn good friend, father, brother, guide and simply all-around one of the good guys, and there ain't many good guys left.

For nearly 30 years Peter has been working with Ayahuasca, and in Peru in the deep jungle -- he is a living legend.

Let's keep it that way

This recent trip the jungle sunk its teeth in really, seriously deep and Peter picked up three different staph infections - a flesh eating bacteria - that tore into him and threatened to eat his leg away below the knee. 

As I write this, his leg has been saved - however, he's not out of the woods yet.

Peter is still fighting the infection - battling against it going systemic - throughout his entire body. 

Peter writes: "(It's) ...been in the muscle for six weeks. Been on drip for six weeks. In Iquitos, in the jungle, in Iquitos and here at the hospital and now here at home. I'm about to have an IV as a matter of fact. I've already lost a lot of muscle. I'm trying to keep it from reaching the bone and going systemic."

Peter needs funds to help pay for medical costs - now.

Peter's long-time friend Alan Shoemaker writes:

"...he has already spent 80 grand... and the two skin grafts, IF the leg is saved, will cost around 15 grand... and the antibotics he needs now and everything else, nursing care at home for a month, etc... so yes, this will bankrupt him easily... We can help. Please."

Walking With My Sister & The Village Creek Natural Historical Area Indian Ghosts

Next Monday, September 2, is Labor Day.

There has been a Labor Day, or two, since I have been in Texas where I have had trouble finding myself an unoccupied picnic table on which I could barbecue my Labor Day barbecue.

The Labor  Days where I have had trouble finding a picnic table have been at various parks in the Lake Grapevine zone.

On Monday if I want to find myself a picnic table I now know of a place I can go to, close to my abode, with plenty of picnic tables, with very few people ever using them.

The plentiful picnic table place of which I speak is Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area. Those are a few of the Village Creek NHA picnic tables you see above. As you can see, big fire pits are included.

An additional attraction to a Village Creek Natural Historical Area Labor Day picnic is you get to share the space with the Indian ghosts who haunt this particular place.

My sister who spends most of her time in Arizona walked with me and the Indian ghosts today. We walked for about an hour. My sister gave me an update on my mom's post knee surgery status, among other things.

With one of those other things being my sister planting in my mind the idea of flying up to Washington in October to help with a complex babysitting project. I have multiple reasons why it might be a good idea to fly up to Washington.

It has been over 5 years since I have done so.

Most of the painful residue of that fateful month during the summer of 2008 has dissipated, or faded to irrelevance.

Changing the subject from painful residue to something else.

This morning I looked in my refrigerator to be reminded that on Saturday I got a 5 pound bag of broccoli crowns at Town Talk. So, this morning, with an almost fall chill in the air, I decided to make broccoli cheese soup.

We are currently scheduled to have several days in a row over 100, starting tomorrow, so hot soup seemed like a real good idea. That and barbecued chicken.

Time for lunch now....

Today I Was Schooled In Green By Fort Worth Weekly

I did not get around to reading last week's Fort Worth Weekly until today, two days before this week's Fort Worth Weekly becomes readable.

Last week's Fort Worth Weekly has an article titled Schooled in Green which managed to surprise me.

Til an hour ago if you'd ask me if I knew anywhere in the world where the geo-thermal method of heating a space was being used I would have said there are geo-thermal heated greenhouses in Iceland.

So, imagine how surprised I was to learn that Tarrant County has several new schools which are geo-thermal heated and cooled.

Is this type thing happening all over America? And the world? I have no idea. What I do know is this sure seems to be a good method to heat and cool a school.

Biking Mallard Cove Park Finding A Giant Pipe Bed & Tires

By the time the noon time of the day arrived I felt as if I needed an additional endorphin boost to the one I got early this morning via swimming for an hour.

I did not feel like driving very far, so I drove to the park closest to my abode, that being Mallard Cove Park, to pedal my bike.

I rolled a couple times around the paved trails and then exited the park to the wild zone.

The wild zone to the west of Mallard Cove Park sort of spooks me. As in, I get nervous that suddenly a scary human is going to pop out  from behind a tree.

Or be hiding somewhere, like when I looked inside the giant pipe you see above, I thought it might be someone's bedroom or a home for snakes.

As can see, there were no humans or snakes in the pipe.

This wild zone seems to be a bit of a dumping zone. Why would someone leave a giant piece of pipe laying in the woods?

Or the mattress with matching box spring you see below. The mattress appeared to be fairly new.

Maybe someone was camping at this location, hauled in a mattress for a comfortable night's sleep and then decided it was too much bother to haul the mattress back home. Or left it for the sleeping comfort of others.

And then there were the tires. What is it with Fort Worth and its multiple tire graveyards?

I saw the above tires from the same location I found the giant pipe, with that giant pipe laying about 20 feet from the cliff's edge. There are more than a dozen tires strewn on this particular Trinity River sandbar.

How do tires get to these type locations? Do tires float? Are tires recyclable?

All in all, I had myself a really fine time rolling around Mallard Cove Park, getting just the right amount of endorphins to have myself feeling real good.

The Tale Of Two Texas Historical Markers In Arlington's River Legacy Park

Way back in 2003, when the new section of trail opened on the north side of the Trinity River in River Legacy Park, two Texas historical markers were moved from their original locations near what they were historically marking, to a new location adjacent to the River Legacy Park paved trail.

At the bottom of the Bird's Fort Historical Marker a sign has been added which says...

THIS MARKER WAS RELOCATED TO RIVER LEGACY PARKS IN 2003. THE BIRD'S FORT SITE IS ABOUT 1-1/4 MILES NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THIS LOCATION.

I believe the location of Bird's Fort was long ago bulldozed by the Veridian development.

Way back in 2003 and for a few years after that, at the end of the River Legacy trail, at the 7 mile mark, one could leave River Legacy Park and explore a vast wasteland where off roaders had built all sorts of things, including one of the most Tarzan-like treehouses I have ever seen. Somewhere near this location were the remains of Bird's Fort, which I never found.

The info on the Bird's Fort Historical Marker is interesting.....

In an effort to attract settlers to the region and to provide protection from Indian raids, General Edward H. Tarrant of the Republic of Texas Militia authorized Jonathan Bird to establish a settlement and military post in the area. Bird's Fort, built near a crescent-shaped lake one mile east in 1841, was the first attempt at Anglo-American colonization in present Tarrant County. The settlers, from the Red River area, suffered from hunger and Indian problems and soon returned home or joined other settlements.

In August 1843 troops of the Jacob Snively Expedition disbanded at the abandoned fort, which consisted of a few log structures. Organized to capture Mexican gold wagons on the Santa Fe Trail in retaliation for raids on San Antonio, the outfit had been disarmed by United States forces.

About the same time, negotiations began at the fort between Republic of Texas officials General Tarrant and General George W. Terrell and the leaders of nine Indian tribes. The meetings ended on September 29, 1843, with the signing of the Bird's Fort Treaty. Terms of the agreement called for an end to existing conflicts  and the establishment of a line separating Indian lands from territory open for colonization.

Well, the Bird's Fort Treaty did not work out too well for the Indians. But, what treaty really ever did?

Due west of the Bird's Fort Historical Marker is the SLOAN-JOURNEY EXPEDITION OF 1838 Historical Marker. That Historical Marker is also interesting....

In the Spring of 1838, Captains Robert Sloan and Nathaniel T. Journey led a group of about 90 Northeast Texas frontiersmen on a punitive expedition against the Indians who had raided their homes in present day Fannin County. The trail led them to the vicinity of present day Euless and Arlington, where they attacked a small Indian village, killed several Indians and recovered a few horses. The Sloan-Journey Expedition is among the first known Anglo-American activities in what is now Tarrant County that helped to open North Texas to White Settlement.

White Settlement? Is that not a West Fort Worth suburb?

These Texas Historical Markers put me in mind of a Historical Marker I saw years ago, in Northern California, near Lava Beds National Monument. That particular Historical Marker marked the Captain Jack fiasco, where a band of Modoc Indians kept the American army at bay for a long enough time that the world got caught up in following the heroics of Captain Jack and his band of Modocs.

The "old" Historical Marker sort of puts Captain Jack in a bad light as a bad guy. But, when you visit the Lava Beds National Monument site of the actual siege, you get a more balanced historical perspective of the tragedy that happened at that location.

I wonder what a revisionist Texas Historical Marker might say about what is described in these two Texas Historical Markers in River Legacy Park?

Pedaling To The East End Of River Legacy Park Talking To My Dad

Today I pedaled the River Legacy Park paved trail to its eastern end for the first time in a long time.

In years past I pedaled to this point many times a month.

Way back in 2003, when this new section of trail opened, I recollect reading that the trail would soon be extended across Highway 360 to connect with the Dallas Trinity River trail.

I must have remembered wrong, because it has been a decade since I thought the trail would soon be extended.

Saturday and Sunday, on nicely temperatured days, always finds a lot of people having themselves a really fine time rolling their wheels in River Legacy Park.

Today I was passed by dozens of speed demons.

I passed a couple slow pokes.

I got gas on my way to River  Legacy. Like I often do when I get gas I called my mom and dad. I was calling my mom and dad today, even if I did not get gas.

I think it was on Monday I got a text message from my sister which said something like "Surgery went well. Mom doing fine." I knew my mom was have her knee operated on. When last I talked to my mom the exact date of the surgery was still unknown.

So, a few minutes after getting the text message I called my sister back. About 10 seconds into the call my phone exploded with its battery needs charging noise. When I got back to my abode an hour or two later, I plugged the phone into the charger and called my sister back. At that point in time she was with my mom. We talked for a few minutes.

I thought I was told that my mom would be released from the surgical center on Thursday. I guess I assumed being released meant going home.

Today, when I called, my dad answered. My dad usually only answers the phone on his birthday and Father's Day. And sometimes even then my mom screens the calls.

So, turns out on Thursday mom went from the surgical center to a rehab center where she is having a really fine time learning to walk.

I talked to my dad all the way from the gas station in Fort Worth to River Legacy Park in Arlington. Usually dad is not all that chatty.

Lost In Thought Today On The Gateway Park Mountain Bike Trail Almost Sent Me Cliff Diving

FWMBA (Fort Worth Mountain Bike Association) really needs to add a "CAUTION" sign a few feet before the location you see on the left on the Gateway Park mountain bike trail.

Right before one reaches this location one pedals up a steep, short incline. At the top of the incline one sees what one sees in the picture, that being a cliff dropping down to the Trinity River.

I was lost in thought today when I reached this location.

Even though I was lost I hit the brakes quick enough to avoid an unwanted swim with the fishes and turtles.

The outer world was heated to around 95 when I left my abode to drive to Gateway Park. The humidity had the heat index having it feel like the outer world was over 100 degrees.

And so it did. Feel over 100 degrees.

I had my wished for sauna steam  bath today. Followed by the rapid chilling provided by the Town Talk cooler.

I got myself a shopping cart full of stuff at Town Talk today. A big bag of Russet spuds from Twin Falls, Idaho. A 5 pound bag of broccoli crowns. Another 5 pound jar of pickled ginger. Cabbage, lettuce, yogurt, cheese, tortillas, ham and I forget what else.

I'd tell you what I was lost in thought about that had me almost doing some cliff diving, but it's a distressing tale of sadly perverse verbal abuse that may be too weird to share....

Driving To Arlington's Interlochen Canals With Tacoma's Connie D

No. That is not an artist's rendering of what one of the canals will look like if the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle ever becomes something someone can see.

What you are looking is not in Fort Worth. It is in Arlington.

The canal is one of many which make up the Interlochen neighborhood.

Interlochen is an award winning development, developed decades ago by developer Bob Findlay.

Interlochen being developed by Bob Findlay is why the paved trail I pedaled on to get to Interlochen is called the Bob Findlay Linear Park.

The paved trail that runs through the Village Creek Natural Historical Area exits the Historical Area to become the aforementioned Bob Findlay Linear Park paved trail.

The outer world was heated in to the 90 degree range when I drove myself to Arlington to roll my wheels.

As long as I am pedaling I stay cool due to that refreshing wind chill factor effect. But, stop pedaling and the sauna steam bath effect goes into effect.

I was in the pool before dawn cracked again this morning. I rather like swimming whilst the sun comes up. Soon we will be entering that time of the year where it becomes ever more cool to get in the pool.

I saw today that the kids are back in school. I had to slow to 25 because the slow down lights were flashing as I passed John T. White Elementary.

I had to slow down and get off the phone. The Tacoma Connie D had called me soon after I exited my abode. It is a $200 fine if you are caught talking on your cell phone when you drive by a school in Texas.

The Tacoma Connie D has the sweetest voice. If she were to move to Texas and learn to speak with a Texas accent her accent would be a real honey dripper.

The lunch gong just sounded. Talk to you later.....

Incoming From Texans For Government Transparency

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 22, 2013

LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST TRWD SEEKING ELECTIONS IN 2014

(Fort Worth, Texas) Today, a lawsuit was filed against the Tarrant Regional Water District by John Austin Basham, Darlia Lee Hobbs and Texans For Government Transparency over the TRWD’s interpretation of a new state law (HB 3900) which altered the district's election cycle to odd numbered years. The lawsuit charges the change in the water code unconstitutionally extend directors terms without holding an election. The TRWD’s action would essentially grant two sitting board members, Jim Lane and Marty Leonard, five year terms – exceeding the maximum allowed under the State Constitution.

The lawsuit is brought by Mr. Basham, a former candidate for the Tarrant Regional Water District's Board of Directors who fell 80 votes shy of taking office in 2013; Darlia Lee Hobbs, a grassroots activist for open and responsive government; and a non-profit, Texans for Government Transparency. The district has long been accused of utilizing secret meetings in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act, abusing eminent domain authority and now, manipulating election laws to extend their terms without voters' consent.

“The Texas Constitution and Water Code, which governs TRWD, couldn't be more clear.” says John Spivey, Secretary of Texans For Government Transparency, “Water board members cannot have a term longer than four years. The law that was recently passed changing TRWD's election cycle to odd numbered years does not allow for a five year term – nor does it prohibit an election in 2014.” Spivey adds, “The new law does not and cannot change the Texas Constitution, which explicitly restricts the directors terms to four years.”

TFGT President John Basham says, “We simply want the TRWD to start complying with the laws of the State of Texas.” He went on to say, “Picking and choosing how long a term you will serve and when a voter can vote for you doesn’t even sound like something you would expect in America. If it weren’t really happening in front of me I wouldn’t believe it!”

At the TRWD Board Meeting on August 20, 2013, Mr. Basham asked Board President Vic Henderson if he intended to hold elections as required by law in 2014. Mr. Henderson refused to answer, although after the board meeting, he stated that they did not intend to hold elections in 2014 referring back to HB 3900 and advice from TRWD counsel Lee Christie. These concerned citizens are asking the court to require TRWD to hold elections in May of 2014 when the director’s terms expire by law.

An election in 2014 would place Marty Leonard's and Jim Lane's seats back on the ballot. Ms. Leonard and Mr. Lane have been on the board since 2006. The petition was filed in the 48th Judicial District in Tarrant County, Texas by lead attorney, Matthew Rinaldi of Miller, Egan, Molter & Nelson, LLP. Texans For Government Transparency is a 501(c)4 non-profit organization that was formed to promote openness and transparency in Texas state and local government affairs while advocating for citizens' rights of privacy and property rights.

This Afternoon I Googled Crazy After Being Assaulted By Deranged Demented Craziness

I Googled "crazy" and rather than the usual list of links, the definition to the left popped up.

The first line of the definition, that I read, was "mentally deranged as manifested in a wild or aggressive way."

Well, late this afternoon, seeing a whole lot of crazy became my entertainment.

The crazy first arrived in email. Then blog comments.

I forwarded the crazy emails to various sorts who knew of the crazy source.

The blog comments went to spam. I did not know of them til I got another crazy email informing me that the crazy one had been making blog comments.

I did not hit the publish button on any of the crazy comments, because, well, because of that crazy thing.

Myself and others with whom I shared today's crazy outbreak are all in agreement that though totally crazy the crazy person has good reason to be being a bit unhinged and lashing out like a deranged, unhinged crazy person.

And we all feel real sorry for her. But she really needs to get a grip, calm down and quit acting so crazy.

Lawsuit Filed Regarding TRWD Election Shenanigans

Some of the shenanigans of the Tarrant Regional Water District Board are finally being dealt with.

Shenanigans like fiddling with elections. That type thing.

A pair of Tarrant Regional Residents, John Basham and Darlia Hobbs, have filed a lawsuit regarding the TRWD shenanigans.

Fort Worth Weekly has an article on this subject titled Residents Sue Tarrant Regional Water District.

That article contains a link to the lawsuit document. However, currently, that link in the FW Weekly article does not link to the correct file.

However, you can read the lawsuit document by clicking on the image you see in this blog post.

I suspect this lawsuit is not going to go well for the TRWD, no better than their recent failed foray into the United States Supreme Court....

Looking For A Missing Pink Poodle & Chinese Buffets With BBQ Chicken Pickled Ginger Pizza

Today I did not feel like driving anywhere to get myself some endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation, via walking, hiking or biking, due to the fact that I got myself plenty of endorphins mountain biking yesterday and this morning, swimming, before dawn til well after the sun arrived.

I needed an item one gets at a grocery store, so, with Albertsons being across the street, I walked there, but not fast enough to induce any endorphins.

On the way to Albertsons I came upon a missing poodle poster tacked to a pole. The photo of the missing poodle makes her appear to be pink, but the description says she is golden light brown. Maybe she looks pink in certain types of light.

Miss Puerto Rico refused to eat at a Chinese food buffet across the street from the pink poodle poster because she was convinced this restaurant was responsible for the area's missing dogs. Miss Puerto Rico is prone to irrational thinking and superstition. I think this may be a relic of her years of being an island girl.

The Chinese food buffet Miss Puerto Rico refused to eat at has been out of business for a year or more. This restaurant was originally called Super Asia Buffet, then around the time the Super Bowl came to town, well, the town to the east, the Super Asia Buffet changed its name to Super Bowl Buffet.

Very clever. And now it's gone.

The Super Bowl Buffet was my favorite Chinese food buffet of all those I have been to in the Dallas/Fort Worth zone.

A few weeks ago I realized I currently know of no Chinese food buffets. The original one I discovered soon after moving to Texas, the Great Wall in Bedford, has been closed for a long time.

A few years ago another Chinese buffet opened in Bedford, which I liked, but can not remember the name of. It closed soon after the economy tanked in 2008.

On Sunday I noticed that the Chinese buffet which opened a few years ago next to the Walmart Neighborhood Market in Pantego is no more. I never sampled that one.

There must still be Chinese food buffets in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Unknown to me.

All this Chinese food buffet talk has made me hungry. Time for lunch. BBQ chicken pickled ginger pizza. I'm experimenting...

Uneventful Mountain Biking In Gateway Park With A Green River & Pickled Ginger

I think I neglected to mention that yesterday I went mountain biking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

I likely neglected to mention yesterday's bike ride because it was uneventful, except for those always playful  Indian Ghosts.

Today's mountain bike ride in Gateway Park was also uneventful. And totally Indian Ghost-free.

As you can see, despite the drought, the Trinity River appears to be flowing with some sort of green liquid that may be water.

Meanwhile, down south, near Austin in the Hill Country region of Texas, the Texas Highland Lakes are drying up due to the Great Texas Drought.

We need the wet remnants of a hurricane, or two, soon.

Meanwhile, back at Gateway Park.

After I finished with 3 times around the mountain bike trail I was off to Town Talk to get cheese, tortillas and found myself a HUGE 5 pound jar of pickled ginger. I like pickled ginger. But, 5 pounds?

I guess I need to figure out how to make sushi...

Haltom City's Layla Caraway In Celebrity Trending News With Bruce Jenner

On August 10 I blogged about an advertisement I was surprised to find in Fort Worth Weekly which divulged details about Miss Layla Caraway which were previously unknown to me.

Now this afternoon I was surprised to learn that a website entity, Celebrity Balla, devoted to celebrities and their various shenanigans, had picked up on the Layla Caraway celebrity news in an article whose title you can see above in a screencap from the detailed article.

I did not know, til reading this new information, how strong the relationship is between Miss Caraway and Bruce Jenner. I knew Bruce's marriage to world class shrew, Kris Kardashian Jenner, was in trouble, with long suffering Bruce relegated to the garage.

I may have to set my DVR to record Keeping up with the Kardashians to see if Miss Layla Caraway shows up in that soap opera.

I know Miss Layla Caraway fairly well and I really truly do not understand where she finds the time to get herself in to these type celebrity situations.

Very perplexing....

A Blobfish Sent To Texas From The Pacific Northwest

This afternoon one of my emailers from up near the Canadian border emailed me the piece of art you see to the left and asked the question, "Remind you of anyone?"

Well, years ago I blogged about this very thing, asking the very same question, because this sea creature, known as a blobfish, does bear an uncanny resemblance to a particular Pacific Northwest land creature of dubious distinction and eventual extinction.

The ill-fated blobfish is also fated for extinction. The place blobfish call home is deep underwater off the coasts of Australia and Tasmania.

Just like the PNW land version of the blobfish, the Australian version is made up mostly of gelatinous tissue, with a mass slightly less than water. This allows the blobfish to float slightly above the sea floor without expending much energy. Basically the blobfish barely moves while it sits with its mouth open waiting for dinner to swim in.

Deep sea bottom trawling is what has the blobfish facing extinction.

I do not know if any blobfish have been successfully transferred to any of the world's aquariums. If I knew an aquarium had a blobfish, in house, I'd be prone to visiting.

Below is a collage of some of the blobfish images one sees when one Google's 'blobfish"..........

Has This Neurotic Crazy Houston Walmart Cop Been Fired & Sued?

The above video was YouTubed on April 2, 2012, around the same time the world became aware of the Treyvon Martin killing by rent-a-cop, George Zimmerman. The above incident happened at a Houston Walmart.

Watching the video I was appalled that anyone in any type of law enforcement position could be so blatantly ignorant as to what is okay and not okay for a cop to be doing. Yet this type dumb cop thing happens over and over again, all over America. What type training do cops receive? How do they get their cop license whilst being so ignorant about the basic right of citizens to be free from this type police abuse?

I gleaned 3 comments from the 100s upon 100s of reactions to what people saw in this video. The first comment is from a lawyer...

Whether he was motivated by race or not (which is really a guess, given the video), the officer was very much in the wrong. Without reasonable suspicion that they have committed a crime, he cannot force them to provide ID or detain them (see where he says they're not free to leave—this is false imprisonment). Further, his pulling of a taser and advancing is likely an assault (although not a battery). In short, if they want to take the officer to task, they could sue.

Does anyone know if the victims of this crime found themselves a lawyer who went after the cop, the security firm which hired him. And Walmart?

Another comment...

This is horrible and ridiculous!!! I worked as an officer several years ago and this is simply another instance where a coward with a badge is intimidated by young black men. I tell my college age sons often to avoid police & rent-a-cops when ever possible. Many security personnel are racists with authority issues and they profile young men of color. Anybody with good sense can see that he was out of line.

And this optimistic comment....

The security officer wanted to attack the young men with a taser and then proceed with a citizen's arrest, no doubt Walmart has not only had this guy fired from whatever security service they where using when he was posted at this specific location but I am sure they canceled their contract with the security company he worked with.

The above commenter assumed Truth, Justice and the American Way prevailed and that this cop was held accountable for his bad behavior.

I am not as optimistic.

Does anyone know what happened in this cop abuse case, post April 2, 2012?

Hiking With Maxine To A North Cascades Hidden Lake While In Texas

No, that is not yet one more view of Fort Worth's Tandy Hills you are looking at in the picture.

What you are looking at is Maxine, in front of Hidden Lake, that being that turquoise body of water, with some of the mountains of North Cascade National Park in the background.

This time of year Maxine goes on a hike, or two, every weekend, weather permitting.

When I got this Monday morning's weekend hiking report and read that Maxine had hiked to Hidden Lake I was not quite sure if I remembered which hike that one was, though it seemed familiar.

So, I looked at the webpage I'd made about the Cascade Mountains and saw the photo below and the accompanying text which clearly brought back the memory of the Hidden Lake Hike.

Maxine said when her hiking group reached the part of the hike that continued on up a pointy peak on which sits a lookout that only one hiker tried to reach the lookout, but gave up when vertigo caused too much dizziness.

Now, I am a bit acrophobic, but I do not remember hiking to that lookout to be at all vertigo inducing. But, it was likely 20 years go, give or take a year, that I last saw this location. It could have changed. Below is me, laying down on a granite slab, below the Hidden Lake lookout, in the same location as Maxine, above, albeit with me at a slightly higher elevation.

Maxine's other hike, this week, was to the Park Butte Lookout, accessed from Schrieber's Meadow on the south side of the Mount Baker volcano.

Well, getting to the Park Butte Lookout I do remember making me nervous, with being in the lookout being vertigo inducing, what with it perched on a pointy pinnacle, with a steep drop off on one side, which regularly haunts my nightmares. Then again, who knows how accurately I remember this? My nightmares about Park Butte may have altered the memory.

Anyway.

It strikes me as indicative of the sad state to which I have fallen, that today I went hiking on some rather nondescript hills, seeing scenery that, quite honestly, really is not all that scenic, while just a few years ago, when I lived in Washington, I could drive a few miles to the east and experience real mountains and scenery the likes of which you see above and go on an 8 mile round trip hike with a 3,400 foot elevation gain.

I really need to move back to Washington. Then again, there are many things I do like about Texas....

HPDATE: For detailed information about the Hidden Lake Trail hike go to the 10 Adventures North Cascades National Park Hidden Lake Trail article.

Back On The Relatively Chilly Tandy Hills For A Mighty Fine Hike

It has been weeks, maybe over a month, since I have looked across the wagon train trail which heads west towards the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth from the top of Mount Tandy.

With the outer world being chilled to a relatively cool temperature in the low 80s today I returned to the Tandy Hills for some fine hill hiking.

I was a little surprised to find that the windfall log which I came upon during my previous hill hiking still blocks the trail on the north side of the currently dry Tandy Falls. I would have thought by now someone would have attacked that trail obstruction with an ax or a chain saw.

The Tandy Hills seem to be handing the Great Texas Drought better than last year when one spotted numerous items of foliage under severe stress due to not getting enough to drink.

My long break from hiking the hills was due to deciding not to til more reasonable temperatures returned. There was no breeze blowing today, but even without any windchill I still did not get too HOT. Nor did I get that sauna steam bath effect I find so pleasurable, sometimes.

I'm thinking I will now be adding the Tandy Hills back on my regular hiking schedule. With that plan subject to change if the HEAT returns for a visit.

Wildscape Walking In Arlington's Veterans Park Pondering Too Many Wars

That is not a view of my usual Sunday outdoor walking or biking location in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

What you are looking at is part of the Wildscape in Arlington's Veterans Park.

Walking in the Wildscape is shaded and noticeably cooler than out under the glare of the sun.

Currently the glare of the sun has not yet managed to heat the outer world out of the 80s, as in it is only 86 degrees at this point in time in the early Sunday afternoon.

Are 100 degree plus days done for the year, not to return until 2014?

Below the soldier who guards the Veterans Park Memorial Plaza is standing up well under the glare of the August sun.

The rows of red are made up of bricks with the names of veterans and the wars in which they served etched on to the bricks.

You can find bricks with veteran's names and the war in which they fought going back all the way to the War of Northern Aggression, also known as the Civil War. There are Spanish-American War bricks, World War I bricks, World War II bricks, Korean War bricks, Vietnam War bricks, Gulf War I & II bricks, but I saw no Afghanistan War bricks.

Is there any other country in the world which has been in as many wars in the past 150 years as has the United States?

Fort Worth Weekly Goes In To Deep Waters Over The TRWD Controversies

This week's Fort Worth Weekly cover article is titled Deep Waters, Records reveal cozy relationships at the Tarrant Regional Water District.

Reading the article I was quite pleased to finally see someone using the "N" word in regards to the shenanigans of the TRWD.

The "N" word of which I speak is Nepotism.

Just last week I was verbalizing my perplexation regarding the seeming disregard regarding nepotism in Fort Worth, asking if the principle that nepotism is an unethical bad thing was a Yankee concept alien to the South.

The FW Weekly Deep Waters article has many interesting pieces of information. I'll copy and paste a couple blurbs that I found interesting.

The first blurb has to do with the TRWD's controversial Jim Oliver....

In 2006 the Weekly reported that Oliver had run up bills of more than $10,000 on his water district credit card at eateries, bars, and a private club between October 2003 and November 2005. None of the receipts complied with the water district’s expense policy. On some, there were no names for those covered by the payment, and on others there was no stated business purpose.

So, 7 years ago Jim Oliver was caught with his hand in the water district's credit card cookie jar to the tune of over $10,000? And he was not fired? I have been told of another instance of Oliver being caught flagrante delicto and not fired, but using public funds as his private piggy bank and still retaining his job is very perplexing.

And then there is this blurb with interesting verbiage from TRWD board member, Jim Lane...

“People have this board confused with city hall and the legislature,” Lane added, “This is an old quasi-government body that is there to provide water to a Metroplex that is booming. I don’t know why this has turned into something so controversial.”

So, Jim Lane is saying the TRWD is there to provide water to a booming Metroplex? Which leads one to wonder, if the TRWD's sole mission is to provide water, why is it in the economic development business?

Building a wakeboard lake, a restaurant, helping facilitate the building of a drive-in movie theater and sponsoring inner tubing beer parties at an imaginary island with an imaginary pavilion in the world's finest imaginary waterfront music venue.

Are the wakeboard lake, restaurant, drive-in movie theater and inner tubing beer parties bringing in a lot of water to the booming Metroplex one can not help but wonder.

Someone named Johns made a rather cogent comment regarding FW Weekly's Deep Waters article, which said, in part....

If there’s one thing the TRWD is good at (and it’s certainly not increasing/improving our water supply) – it’s galvanizing support against it. From Democrats to Republicans to Libertarians to Tea Partiers – heck, to the Supreme Court, there’s always a confluence of support against the poor management, power grabs, eminent domain abuses and corruption displayed by this organization. In any other town, the ‘water district’ has a ‘sleepy/low profile board” – but, in Fort Worth, the Water District Board means drama, graft, abuse, violation of open meeting laws, secrecy, nepotism – the list goes on and on. Let’s hope Mary Kelleher won’t be the lone voice of dissent on the board for long!

Have A Happy Wedding Wishes To Gar The Texan & Miss De Pew

In the picture you are looking at Gar the Texan and his soon to be new wife, Lisa De Pew, holding up their license to wed.

I do not know if Lisa De Pew is the soon to be new wife's real name or stage name. Sounds French to me.

My sources tell me that this soon to be new wife is an authentic, certified, English speaking American, with a pronounced Idaho accent.

Being from Idaho Lisa would likely have really liked it when Gar the Texan had a Pocatello-doo, which is what is called a mullet in Texas and elsewhere, which many believe was invented in Pocatello, Idaho around the time Gar the Texan was born.

It takes a long time for fads to migrate all the way to Texas, particular little towns in West Texas, which is why Gar the Texan was sporting a Pocatello-doo well into this century, long after the mullet fad had died in the non-hinterlands.

Last night the Queen of Wink and I were discussing the important issue of Gar the Texan's soon to be new wife and we both agreed that this match seems to have a better chance of succeeding than the previous match, what with this soon to be new wife speaking English and being older than 18.

How many wives Gar the Texan has actually had has been a rather open, confusing debate. The number ranges from 3 to 7.

I believe the confusion comes from counting the common law wives in with the state sanctioned lawfully wedded wives. I am almost 100% certain there have been only 2 state sanctioned lawfully wedded Gar the Texan wives, with Miss De Pew becoming the 3rd state sanctioned lawfully wedded Gar the Texan wife.

It speaks to the quality of Gar the Texan's kind, forgiving nature that all of his ex-wives, both common and state sanctioned, are expected to be in attendance at today's ceremony.

Well, it's about time to put on a white shirt and a black tie and head to Cowboy Stadium for the big event....

Biking The Gateway Park Cliffs Before Getting A Rabbit Food Supply

Since it is Saturday and I lack the imagination to do anything new, I drove myself to Gateway Park to roll my bike tires.

Due to rain deluging yesterday morning for what seemed to be a long enough duration to render Gateway Park's mountain bike trails too muddy to ride, I planned on pedaling the paved trails.

However, upon arrival at the Gateway Park parking lot it became apparent that the mountain bike trail was being biked.

And so that is what I did. Totally dry. No mud. Maybe yesterday's deluge did not deluge on this location.

In the picture you are looking at the location of the new section of mountain bike trail that I find just a bit unsettling.

If one were pedaling fast one might not react fast enough when one comes to the point in the trail where a detour takes a hard right.

I would guess there has been a pedaler, or two, who quickly hit the brakes, so as not to take an unwanted cliff dive in to the Trinity River.

After I had rolled my tires a sufficient number of rotations I returned to my motorized transport and drove to Town Talk.

Today I got enough lettuce to keep a dozen rabbits happy for a month. Romaine and Green Leaf. Plus things that would not keep a rabbit happy, like chicken legs and Jalapeno Jack cheese.

Well, it's about time to get ready for Gar the Texan's latest wedding....

What Phase Of The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Project's Timeline Are We Currently Looking At?

I have mentioned previously that both the town I am now located in, Fort Worth, Texas and the town from whence I came, Mount Vernon, Washington, have downtown river projects underway. With major differences.

Fort Worth's river project is known as the Trinity River Vision. Mount Vernon's is not known as the Skagit River Vision.

Ironically, the Mount Vernon river project is actually visionary, while the Fort Worth river project does not seem very visionary.

Mount Vernon's river project addresses an actual flood control issue, protecting downtown Mount Vernon from being destroyed by a flood, a situation which has come close to happening several times in the past couple decades, with a wall of sandbags and 100s of sandbaggers coming to the rescue.

Fort Worth's river project does not address any actual flood control issue, even though that is the bill of phony goods that has been sold to the apparently gullible Fort Worth public. Downtown Fort Worth has not been threatened by a flooding Trinity River for well over a half a century, due to the fact that huge levees were installed, back in the 1950s, under the direction of the Army Corps of Engineers, which do a good job of keeping the river under control.

The Fort Worth un-visionary Trinity River Vision's plan is to take down the functioning levees and replace them with a gigantic flood diversion channel, which will likely be like the Great Wall of China, as in visible from the moon.

You reading this in the sane parts of America, I guarantee I am not making this up.

Even harder to believe...

In order to secure federal money to help pay for this new bogus flood control that the federal government, meaning you, already paid for, decades ago, to insure the cooperation of Fort Worth Congresswoman, Kay Granger, her totally unqualified son, J.D., was given the job of overseeing Fort Worth's screwy river project.

So far, having J.D. Granger oversee this screwy river project has seen the construction of the world's premiere urban wakeboard lake, the world's first drive-in movie theater of the 21st century, an imaginary music venue with an imaginary island hosting inner tubing beer parties in the polluted Trinity River.

And a restaurant.

Again. You reading this in the sane parts of America, I guarantee I am not making this up.

Now, back to Mount Vernon's river project. What got me back on this subject was an article I read this morning in Mount Vernon's newspaper online.

Oh, I must mention. My old hometown has an actual newspaper of record functioning with journalistic integrity, which is one of the many reasons I found the Fort Worth Star-Telegram so jarringly different upon first exposure. I was not used to a newspaper functioning as a Chamber of Commerce cheerleader spewing propaganda.

Today's article in the Mount Vernon newspaper is titled "Phase 2 of revetment project is on target." That is a screen cap of the article above.

So, reading that phase 2 of the Mount Vernon river project is on target finally gets me to the point I wanted to make, via questions I have asked before....

Why is there no timeline for Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle? What phase are we currently in? When is the targeted completion date of any phase of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle?

Is there a timeline for Fort Worth's river project?

If so, what is it?

If not, why not?

Is the reason the Mount Vernon river project has a project timeline, with targeted phases of completion, with a projected project completion date, because the Mount Vernon river project is being run by an actual qualified project engineer who is not the un-qualified son of the local congressman?

The Middle Of August With North Texas Chilly & Wet

67 degrees?

The middle of August in Texas with the outer world being naturally air-conditioned to a chilly 67 degrees?

My windows open in the middle of August? I don't believe that has ever happened before.

The outer world is currently being chilled to a temperature about 13 degrees colder than I chill my interior space using unnatural mechanical means when the outer world is being heated into the 100 degree zone.

While Texas is missing out on that rumored Global Warming thing, up in my old home zone of the Western Washington part of the Pacific Northwest the natives have been experiencing a record number of days heated to 80 degrees and above.

In Western Washington 80 degrees and above is considered to be very HOT.

The information gleaned via my computer based weather monitoring device that you see above indicates a light rain is falling.

Whilst I was having my morning swim it was not a light rain that was falling. It was a heavy rain that was pummeling me with big drops of cold wetness. Along with thunder booming in the distance.

I do not see any outer world walking, hiking or biking on my schedule for today. Unless I take myself on a walk inside Sam's Club....

The Queen Of Wink Is Now A Durango Roadtripping Guest Blogger With Taos Tales

Today the Queen of Wink is the Guest Blogger on my Durango Roadtripping blog in a blogging titled The Queen of Wink Roadtripping to Taos New Mexico.

The Queen of Wink solo roadtripped herself to Taos this past weekend to have herself a three day adventure.

That adventure included getting tossed into the Rio Grande whilst river rafting, drinking copious amounts of coffee, drinking less copious amounts of liquid refreshments at the one year anniversary of the Mesa Taos Brewery, catching wild salmon for dinner in downtown Taos, being awakened by bear splashing in the Rio Grande, experiencing vertigo whilst walking across the Rio Grande Gorge, meeting numerous Taos natives at the Taos Pueblo, along with other stuff you will have to read for yourself in the Queen of Wink's blogging about her visit to Taos.

My one and only time in Taos I also stayed three days. However, it seems the Queen of Wink crammed more into one day in Taos than I did in three.

The Queen of Wink is barely 25 years old, hence her ability to be so active without collapsing in exhaustion, including staying up til 2am in downtown Taos, while I am 22 years older and get tired just thinking about staying up til 2am.

Pedaling Gateway Park To The Flotsam Of Trinity Falls On The Trinity River

Trinity Falls

I figured the Gateway Park mountain bike trails would not be suitable for rolling over due to a downpour or two that poured down water in the past couple days.

However,  I felt the need for bi-pedaling speed, so I drove myself to Gateway Park to park and pedal on the paved trails which are not affected when rain pours down.

I left Gateway Park at one point and saw City of Fort Worth workers working to get flotsam and jetsam out of the Trinity River that had back up behind Trinity Falls.

A lot of flotsam in the form of floating litter was swirling at the base of Trinity Falls. Why does this flotsam swirl around instead of simply continuing its journey to its destiny of eventually littering the Gulf of Mexico?

After an hour of pedaling, give or take a minute or two, since I was in the neighborhood, I stopped in at Town Talk. I had a good reason to stop in at Town Talk. I needed cheese and yogurt. So, I got Swiss Cheese and Mango Yogurt. Along with some other stuff.

The Thunder Rolls In North Texas On This Dog Day Of August

For the last half hour, give or take a minute or two, thunder has been booming, rain has been dropping.

When this booming and dropping was going on I was not near my computer based weather monitoring device.

When I returned to being near my computer based weather monitoring device I saw it was flashing red with the warning....

"SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING, AREAL FLOOD AD."

What is an "AREAL FLOOD?" I assume that "AD" word that got cut off in the warning was hoping  to spell "ADVISORY."

Earlier today the forecast for this point in time, in the early evening, was for diminished storm action. Instead we are getting more storm action than what happened this morning when storm action was predicted.

My hatches were already battened down, so I am totally prepared to weather this current storm. As long as it does not go into tornado mode at my location....

Today I Found East Fort Worth's Abandoned Harrison Cemetery

For years I have driven by the obscured by brush Texas Historical Marker you see in the picture.

This Texas Historical Marker is located near where Meadowbrook Drive intersects with Meadowbrook Boulevard in far East Fort Worth.

As I've driven by this overgrown Texas Historical Marker, dozens of times I've told myself that one day I need to stop and see what it is that is being historically marked with a Texas Historical Marker at this location.

Today was finally the day I got around to seeing what was being marked here.

I wondered if it might be one of the ubiquitous Bonnie & Clyde crime spree locations. Or something equally nefarious, figuring that this Texas Historical Marker must mark something notorious, hence its overgrown, uncared for state.

It was a bit of a damp challenge to get up close enough to read the Texas Historical Marker to learn it had nothing to do with Bonnie & Clyde, but instead was marking a cemetery.

Harrison Cemetery to be precise.

The information on the marker describing Harrison Cemetery....

When first used, this one-acre cemetery belonged to Tarrant County pioneer D.C. Harrison. The earliest known grave is that of Mary E. Harrison (1864-71). Several early settlers used this site, including R.A. Randol (1850-1922), the operator of Randol Mill, who bought this tract in 1895 and deeded it forever as a burial ground. Graves here number about sixty and include those of the Edward Deason family, Randol's first wife Ronda(Harrison) (1859-82). His brother John C. Randol, who died in an 1894 mill accident, and his wife Nancy Cannon Harrision (1833-83), mother of Ronda Harrison Randol.

Randol is a rather well known name in this part of the country. A section of Randol Mill Road, it being a road which seems to run all over Tarrant County, is near Harrison Cemetery.

Why has this cemetery fallen into such a shameful state of being untended and overgrown with jungle-like foliage?

Seems odd that this cemetery would warrant a Texas Historical Marker, but not warrant being cared for.

Very perplexing....

Taking A HOT Walk On Top Of A Dam

In the picture you are looking at two things in short supply in Fort Worth, Texas.

One of those two things in short supply is the body of water on the left, with the other of those two things in short supply being the sidewalk you see in the center of the picture.

I think sidewalks are so named because they are paved walking zones on the side of a road. Which would seem to indicate that what we are looking at in this picture is not a sidewalk because there is no road on either side of it.

What we are looking at is the paved trail on top of Fosdick Dam in Oakland Lake Park. I had myself an extremely HOT walk today walking around Fosdick Lake.

As you can see, via the picture, there are currently clouds where usually there is a clear blue sky. Those clouds may be part of incoming possible rain that is predicted to arrive soon.

A Long Walk To A Mailbox Filled With Birthday Cards

I had myself a long endorphin inducing aerobically stimulating swim early this morning. By the time my midday need to aerobicize rolled around I was not in the mood to drive anywhere to bike, hike or walk in the humid HEAT.

Instead of driving somewhere to walk I walked to the mailbox.

In the mailbox I found several birthday cards.

My mom called me yesterday and asked if a birthday card had arrived. It had not. Mom said that likely was because it was mailed on the 8th.

My favorite aunt, she being my dad's big sister, writes the best letters. This year's birthday card's letter delivered. Very amusing. My aunt taught high school English, which may explain why her letters are so good. And perfectly handwritten, as in flawless handwriting, a skill I no longer have.

I took the birthday cards to my favorite picnic table and opened them, read what was inside and took the picture above. Then I called my mom  and dad to tell them the card had arrived and to thank them for the contents.

When my mom called yesterday I was informed that I had the number wrong when I blogged about mom and dad's anniversary last week. It was number 62. Not 63. How do I so routinely make mistakes such as these?

Very perplexing....