Biking The Gateway Park Jungle Because Elsie Hotpepper Won't Go To The Prairie Fest With Me

This final Saturday of April was the first time I've pedaled the Gateway Park mountain bike trail since late last winter.

On that particular late last winter Gateway Park bike ride the predominant color was brown. As you can see, via the photo, the Gateway Park jungle has returned, with the predominant color now being green.

Today, with it being Saturday, April 27, the 2013 Prairie Fest is taking place.

I could not find anyone to go to the Prairie Fest with me this year. It is well known that I rarely go solo to anything.

I called Elsie Hotpepper, thrice, thinking she might go Prairie Festing with me. I thought Elsie Hotpepper might go Prairie Festing with me because the last time I had myself any fun at the Prairie Fest it was with Elsie Hotpepper and her supply of adult libations of the sort I rarely consume.

Elsie Hotpepper did call me back, a couple times. One of those times I was in the pool, unable to hear my phone make its incoming call noise. I think it was that missed call that brought about my third call to Elsie Hotpepper attempt.

Another reason I was not feeling strongly motivated to help bring Power to the Prairie was on Friday I had myself an exhausting day with way too much human interaction and bruising bus rides that left me feeling in need of peace and quiet.

Hence the bike ride through a jungle.

However, I did subject myself to way too much human interaction, of short duration, with my regular Saturday visit to Town Talk. Today I saw, upon arrival, that the Town Talk reader board read "PRODUCE SALE."

For me, "PRODUCE SALE" meant two bags of red spuds, 8 yellow peppers, 8 green peppers, 2 bags of spinach, 5 pounds of broccoli crowns, 3 pounds of onions, dozens of Anaheim peppers and a lot of other stuff I am not remembering right now.

Currently the outer world, at my location, is supposedly heated to only 70 degrees, at a minute or two past 6. However, even though the temperature is supposedly only 70, I am way too hot inside this abode. I had the windows open all afternoon. This may have been a mistake that I think I am about to rectify by firing up the air conditioner.

My Baby Sister Told Me I Am Old Before I Walked With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts & Plein Air Painters

Ancient Village Creek Indian Path

Today for my daily endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation I opted for the relatively peaceful aerobicizing with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

A peaceful, calm before the storm type energy, seemed to be the theme for today's Ghost Walk.

The prediction for this morning was rain. I did not learn til after my blue sky early morning cool pool dip that the forecast had been changed to rain later today, rather than early today.

By noon blue had been blotted from the sky by what looked like a thick cloud cover ready to drip at any moment. Now, hours later, the sky has not yet begun any dripping.

I think we need some sky drippage, soon, to get the annual Texas Wildflower displays busy blooming. It is almost April and I have yet to see a single Bluebonnet.

Today, whilst walking with the Indian Ghosts I came upon something I have never come upon at this location, previously. That being a guy painting.

I asked the painter if I could take a picture of him painting his painting. He said sure, but then proceeded to jump out of the way. I think he may have thought I asked, "Can I take a picture of 'your' painting?" rather than what I actually asked, which was "Can I take a picture of 'you' painting?"

I asked the painter if he was one of the Plein Air Painters at the Prairie Fest. He said he was two years ago, but not last year, when the Prairie Fest temporarily morphed into 3 separate festivals over 3 months.

I told the painter that this year the Prairie Fest is back being a one day affair, this coming April 27.  He said he'd check out the Tandy Hills website to see if they are having Plein Air Painters this year. I told him I was sure they must be, that that was one of my favorite parts of the Prairie Fest.

I checked out the Prairie Fest section of the Tandy Hills website and saw no mention made of Plein Air Painters. I am sure it is a given that they will be there, with no need to mention that fact.

On my way across the Village Creek dam bridge, on my way to look at the Village Creek Blue Bayou, I saw a  couple guys fishing.

I often seen people fishing in Village Creek. I have never seen anyone catch a fish. The only fish I have ever seen in Village Creek is a Gar Fish. My one and only Gar Fish sighting. Seeing a Gar Fish, in Texas water, marked the last time I have put myself into a Texas body of water. Except for swimming pools.

When I crossed the Village Creek dam bridge again, returning from viewing the Village Creek Blue Bayou, I saw the number of fisherpeople had doubled.

When I was a kid my dad would take me and my brother fishing in the Skagit River. Salmon of various sorts is what one fishes for in the Skagit River. Salmon is a very tasty, very big, safe to eat fish.

What does one hope to catch in Village Creek and what does one do with it if one catches it?

Speaking of Skagit River salmon. My favorite nephew, Joey, continues the family fishing tradition. When the salmon return to the Skagit River Joey catches his fair share. I have no idea what that number is. Or if Joey turns any of his catch into Smoked Salmon. I do know, for certain, that Joey has never sent me any Smoked Salmon.

Speaking of my relatives. I heard from my Baby Sister this morning, informing me, among other things, that I am OLD. I was 17 when my Baby Sister was born. This morning my Baby Sister reminded me that she has a birthday upcoming, on April 13, to be precise, a day which lives on in infamy, I remember it so clearly.

My  Baby Sister mentioned how old she will be on this upcoming birthday, with the inference that adding 17 years to that age makes me very OLD.

I don't feel very OLD. I don't act very OLD. I don't look very OLD. But, I guess I need to come to grips with the fact that I am very OLD!

Hiking The Tandy Hills Thinking About Fuji Apples & Cool Pools

On this First Day of the Spring of 2013 I was in the cool pool swimming when the sun came up. It has been a long time since I've been in the pool when the sun comes up.

I think swimming in the cool pool helps abate my sore arthritic joints. Because the last several days my sore arthritic joints have been being much less sore.

One behavioral variable that could account for this diminished soreness is the increase in time spent in the cool pool.

With another behavior variable being I've been consuming a lot of Fuji apples.

Maybe the combo of these two variables is the magic soreness reducer.

I said earlier today that I thought I would be celebrating the arrival of Spring by getting in some salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation via hill hiking on the Tandy Hills.

And so I did. The hills were particularly pleasant today. In the picture you are looking towards the top of the trail that leads to the View Street Trail from Tandy Falls. My photography skills never do justice to how steep a hill actually looks. Or how cute an armadillo looks.

This Tandy Hills should be becoming alive with color soon. The 2013 Power to the Prairie Festival is just one week and one month from now, happening on the Tandy Hills the last Saturday of next month, in other words, on April 27.

I found out last night that Spencer Jack, his dad and his girl friend, Brittney, are going to be in the Phoenix zone the first week of April. I did not learn this directly from Spencer Jack, his dad or girl friend, but instead learned this from Spencer Jack's glamorous grandma, she being my favorite ex-sister-in-law.

My mom and dad have not mentioned, to me, that Spencer Jack is coming to town. Maybe the visit is supposed to be a surprise and mom and dad have not been informed that their one and only great grandson is heading their way. No danger of the Internet spoiling that surprise. My mom and dad killed the Internet in their house since my last visit.

I do not believe the killing of my mom and dad's Internet connection is related to my visit.....