Tar Balls In Galveston & Visiting Washingtonians

You are looking at a fishing pier on the Gulf of Mexico. This fishing pier was on the Island of Galveston. I believe it was destroyed by Hurricane Ike.

Galveston is in the news today due to tar balls from the BP oil spill washing up on Galveston beaches.

Galveston came to mind a day or two ago when one of my favorite Washingtonians told me that she might be flying to Houston to go to a little seaport town south of Houston. I told her she'd be really close to Galveston and would likely enjoy visiting the island.

Prior to being destroyed by the worst natural disaster in American history, the Galveston hurricane of 1900, Galveston was the 3rd largest port in America, the largest city in Texas and the 2nd wealthiest city in the United States.

Jean Lafitte ran his pirate operations off Galveston Island after he helped Andrew Jackson win the Battle of New Orleans.

An area of Galveston that served as a waterfront banking center was known as The Strand. It was also known as "the Wall Street of the Southwest."

Galveston was a major port of entry for incoming Europeans and was second only to Ellis Island as an American Immigration Station.

In the Galveston of 2010 The Strand is an assortment of restored buildings covering a 36 square block area. The Strand has more than 100 shops, restaurants and art galleries selling an eclectic mix of antiques, Victorian baubles and other old stuff.

Moody Gardens is another big Galveston attraction. You can't help but notice Moody Gardens as you drive over the bridge that takes you to Galveston Island.

Fort Worth's First Of July Fosdic Lake Ghost & Birds With Possible Hurricane Oil Spill Nightmare Scenarios

A volume of rain has fallen on these parts since Monday, which was the last day I was able to go hill hiking on the Tandy Hills.

Good thing with this HOT time of the year, the hills dry out way faster than when they get drenched in winter.

I'd gone to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake on Sunday, forgot my camera, so I took no pictures of the water deprived little lake and its newly formed beaches.

Well, the downpours of late have covered the Fosdic Beaches and water is flowing over Fosdic Falls. It's not a deluge of water, flowing after heavy rain, like you might see cascading over Washington's Snoqualmie Falls, but it's still water falling over a precipice, so, technically a waterfall, though manmade.

As I walked across Fosdic Dam, heading west towards the crossing over Fosdic Falls, I saw a big tree snapped apart. Struck by lightning? Blown by wind? I don't know. Flying in front of the murdered tree was a white ghost, named, by me, the Fosdic Ghost.

Soon after crossing Fosdic Dam I saw what I assumed was a grandma with her granddaughter in a stroller. The grandma was throwing bread into the lake. I assumed to feed birds, of which I saw none eating any bread.

I'd earlier, while walking, made note of the fact that I'd seen few birds. But, the grandma kept throwing bread in the water.

I sat on the picnic shelter overlook and watched. For 5 minutes, maybe more, grandma kept throwing bread in the water.

I started to think she was feeding Fosdic Lake's mutant fish.

And then a duck came into view. And then another. Soon a big flock of birds of different feathers surround edgrandma and the granddaughter, who was now joining in with the bird feeding.

Some of the birds were geese. Geese can be aggressive. I was a little concerned that the little girl might have a too close encounter with a goose beak. I have had one of those, and it hurts.

But, that did not happen, not while I watched. Instead the bird feeding frenzy grew more frenzied.

The sky has brightened, slightly, this afternoon, small patches of blue are peaking through in a few spots. It has been several hours since anything wet has hit my windows.

I have not heard if we are expected to get any moisture from the remains of Hurricane Alex. I remember Hurricane Ike, I think that was his name, gave us quite a drenching here. I think that was in September of 2009. I could be off a year. I know the South Padre Island beaches took quite a hit and are closed for their busiest time of the year, that being the 4th of July.

I think we are in for an interesting summer. I saw a supposed expert on Fox News (always suspect) who said if a hurricane crossed the path of the Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill that because a hurricane reaches into the sea up to 300 feet to suck water up into its wall of storming, the Fox expert said this meant oil would be sucked into the hurricane and when it made landfall big gobs of oil would be falling all over the place.

I'll believe that when I see it. And I hope I don't.

Visualizing The BP Oil Spill Disaster Spilled On Fort Worth

Yikes! Just got an email from Don Young, subject line "Fun with Maps!"

I had no idea what fun I was about to have with maps.

At the website, Ifitwasmyhome.com - Visualizing the BP Oil Spill Disaster, you can see how big the BP Oil Spill is in relation to your town.

My town is currently Fort Worth, Texas. I had no idea the BP Spill was so huge. As in if it were centered on Fort Worth the spill would extend north nearly to Ada, Oklahoma, south nearly to Waco, east nearly to Canton and west nearly to Abilene.

It is about a 160 mile drive from here up to Ada, Oklahoma. About 90 miles south to Waco. Another 90 miles east to Canton. And 150 miles west to Abilene.

That is a lot of oil spilled over a really big area.