Jogging Around Fosdick Lake Before Fall & Yom Kippur Arrive

The first day of Fall falls upon us tomorrow, along with Yom Kippur.

I will be celebrating the Autumnal Equinox by driving to Euless for my regularly scheduled monthly doctor appointment.

I have not decided how I will be celebrating Yom Kippur tomorrow.

Today I celebrated the day before Yom Kippur and the start of Fall by driving to Oakland Lake Park for a HOT jog around Fosdick Lake.

92 degrees when I arrived at the lake, according to my vehicular temperature monitoring device. My phone argued with the vehicle, with the phone claiming the air was cooler, at 91.

Dead calm, no wind chill factor.

I was not the only one jogging around the lake. One of the fellow joggers was a rather large lady in some sort of head to toe sweat suit.

Literally.

I asked her how she could stand the long pants and long sleeves. Her  reply told me it was her sweat suit, you know, to help her sweat.

I forgot to mention the tree above, rising next to the white egret, looking out at the sputtering Fosdick Fountain. That tree must not have received the notification that Fall begins tomorrow, because that tree has already turned on its Fall leaf color.

I think I will go Google Yom Kippur now, since I don't actually remember what this particular Jewish holiday is for. All I remember of Yom Kippur is one of the Israeli/Arab wars is called the Yom Kippur War, due to that war starting on Yom Kippur.

A Memorial Day Walk Over Fosdick Falls In Oakland Lake Park

That is a Memorial Day look at Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park you are looking at here.

No raindrops dripped on me whilst I walked around the lake, but the clouds looked, and continue to look, extremely threatening.

Memorial Day had the park being much busier than the norm. But I saw only two groups attempting to have a Memorial Day picnic.

Several people were attempting to catch fish that one is advised not to eat.

I thought Fosdick Lake would be flooded more than it was. The lake will have to rise a few more inches to put the paved trail on the east side under water.

Fosdick Lake did have enough extra water to cause Fosdick Falls to be roaring like a mini-Niagara.

I don't know how many homes could be electrified by the hydro power potential currently pouring over Fosdick Dam.

Maybe one small doghouse.

A Pre-Town Talk Walk Around Fosdick Lake With Dozens Of Wind Damaged Trees

Saturday more often than not my pre-Town Talk go to place is either Gateway Park or the Tandy Hills.

I figured Thursday's storm likely left the Gateway Park mountain bike trail a mess with knocked down trees and mud. I figured the same might be the case for the Tandy Hills.

So, I opted to go to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake in my endless quest to find Oakland Lake.

As soon as Oakland Lake Park came in to view I saw a lot of wind damage, as in lots of tree damage, some totally knocked over, some yanked right out of the ground.

Oakland Lake Park is only four miles west of my abode. Mother Nature was clearly much more ferocious at Oakland Lake Park than she was at my location.

For a couple months now Fosdick Fountain out in the middle of Fosdick Lake has been a burbling shadow of its former full fountain glory. Today I was saddened to see that Fosdick Fountain has now totally died and has been taken over by a gaggle of ducks.

Don't the ducks look all pleased with themselves that they have taken over the fountain?

When I first arrived at Oakland Lake Park and exited my vehicle I walked a few feet to the knocked over tree you see above. I heard musical tweeting coming from the tree. Eventually I found the nest which survived the tree being blown over. It was a big nest. The mama bird was outside the nest with her babies tweeting inside.

I did not think to take video of this til I'd walked around the lake. When I went back to the tree to shoot video of the tweeting birds they were no longer singing. I shot the video anyway, which is YouTubed below.

But before I get to pasting in the video embed code I must make my Town Talk report for former Fort Worth native, MKB, currently held against her will up in Washington.

Today I got two big containers of strawberries, a big bag of a bread product called something like Brioche, tomatoes, Swiss cheese, a long, big tube of Italian sausage, flour tortillas, lobster bisque and other stuff I am not remembering right now.

And now the aforementioned video.....

Mother's Day Walking The Rails Around Fort Worth's Fosdick Lake With My Mom, My Sister, Miss Puerto Rico & Elsie Hotpepper

Even though I'd been there the day before, I decided to take my Mother's Day walk today with the turtles who call Fosdick Lake home in Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park.

One of the mysteries of this particular Fort Worth park, in addition to the mysterious lack of modern facilities of the restroom and running water and in addition to the mysterious sudden appearance, months ago, of a fountain in the middle of Fosdick Lake and in addition to the mystery of why there is no Oakland Lake in Oakland Lake Park there is the mystery of what the purpose is of the railings you see in the picture above.

There is no drop off on either side of the railings, warranting that type protection. The railings exist only at the northwest corner of the paved trails around Fosdick Lake. What possible purpose do these railings serve?

Changing the subject from mysterious railings back to Mother's Day.

I text messaged my only sister who has given birth, to wish her a Happy Mother's Day and ask if she was in Washington or Arizona. She texted back a photo indicating she was in Tacoma. Which is in Washington. A followup text message said she was on her way to Pike Place Market in Seattle.

Pike Place is a very popular public market modeled after Fort Worth's world famous Santa Fe Rail Market.

Clearly I am seeing if I can muster Fort Worth Star-Telegram type ridiculous puffery with the above sentence of misinformation.

I text messaged my mom with a Happy Mother's Day message, adding that I'd call via the voice message method later.

Whilst walking around Fosdick Lake, multiple times I had to sit down to read a  message and then fumble a reply. Elsie Hotpepper's message had something to do with running. After I texted Elsie back asking what she was running from I called my mom.

Mom answered on the 4th ring. Usually mom answers before I hear a ring. Today when I called a distraction had arrived in the form of my little brother and my favorite sister-in-law and her youngest daughter, delivering Mother's Day Brunch to my mom.

I hope everyone is having as happy a Happy Mother's Day as I am....

Thursday's Rain Has Created New Islands In Fort Worth's Fosdick Lake

Due to Thursday's drenching downpours I assumed my regular Saturday pre-Town Talk endorphin inducing destinations would not be doable today due to excessive muddiness.

With the Tandy Hills and the Gateway Park mountain bike trails likely still damp my two pre-Town Talk options become either Quanah Parker Park or Oakland Lake Park.

I opted to pick Oakland Lake Park for a pleasant walk around Fosdick Lake, which, as you can see, has had some extra water added, turning the tree you see in the picture into an island.

We have odd criteria here in Fort Worth as to what constitutes an island.

After one lap around the lake I headed  to Town Talk, hoping it was not an overpopulated zoo like it was last Saturday.

Crossing the Beach Street bridge over the Trinity I could tell the river had reached an elevated level from Thursday's rain, due to the fact that the cement structure, which serves double duty as a paved trail river crossing and a river impediment, had driftwood piled atop the entire length of the dam bridge.

When Town Talk came into view I could tell I was not in for a repeat of last week's crowd, because I could see open spaces in the parking lot.

The only new and different thing I got at Town Talk today was a 3.5 pound bag of kale. What am I going to do with all that kale? I can't feed it to my rabbit because I don't have a rabbit.

Watching A Fosdick Fish Get Caught Before Finding Applewood Smoked Bleu Cheese

When the time of day arrived for my regularly scheduled Saturday Tandy Hills high speed hill hiking precipitation was starting to precipitate.

I did not like the idea of being on some remote Tandy Hills hill to find myself getting rained on in downpour mode, so I opted instead to go to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake, which is where I saw this trio of Fosdick fishermen fishing.

The Fosdick fisherman on the left had some sort of fish hooked. I did not see a successful reeling in of whatever it was which got hooked.

At Oakland Lake Park rain was not a problem. It was the cold and the wind which was vexing me. So, rather than doing some fast walking I did some fast stair climbing, hoping that would warm me up.

It did not.

This morning I had a pleasant hot tub hydrotherapy session with two dips in the too cool pool to cool off from the too hot hot tub. I don't know why I don't get cold during this early morning activity, with the majority of my skin exposed, while I get cold in the middle of the day when very little skin is exposed.

It is perplexing.

I am thinking I may be re-thinking my regular Saturday visit to Town Talk.

Today was the third extremely busy Saturday at Town Talk in a row, with an overflowing parking lot and long checkout lines.

I think maybe Town Talk needs to think about moving to a bigger building with a bigger parking lot.

Today the only unique thing I found at Town Talk was applewood smoked bleu cheese. I like bleu cheese. I don't know if I am going to like bleu cheese that has been smoked.

All this smoked bleu cheese talk has reminded me I've not had lunch and that I am hungry. Must go take care of that problem now....

Walking Around Fosdick Lake Wondering If We Will Ever See Spring

In the picture you are looking at a flock of Fosducks in the foreground, floating on Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park in Fort Worth, Texas.

That tall thing in the background is the Fort Worth Space Needle, also known as Tandy Tower, sitting atop the summit of Mount Tandy,  also in Fort Worth, Texas.

I had myself a brisk slightly below freezing hot tub hydrotherapy session this morning.

To be clear, it was the air which was below freezing, not the hot tub.

In the noon time frame the outer world had heated above freezing to an extent which allowed for a pleasant walk around Fosdick Lake without the need for excessive layers of outerwear.

I am hoping this latest bout of icy air from the Arctic is the last bout for this current winter.

By the end of March usually the outer world starts getting pleasantly warm, along with wildflowers coloring up that which is usually a bit bland.

Has this demented schizophrenic manic-depressive bi-polar weather messed up the coming spring? Will there be any wildflowers this year?

How many times can a tree be tricked into spouting buds only to have them frozen before the tree just gives up and waits til next year to turn green again?

An Old Man In The Fosdick Sea Has Replaced The White Swan While Germany Floods

With the temperature a relatively chilly 87 degrees I thought it'd be a fine idea to drive to the relatively shadeless Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake.

And throw some swan food at the Fosdick White Swan.

However, the Fosdick White Swan was no where to be seen.

What I saw near the former residence of the Fosdick White Swan was the Old Man in the Fosdick Sea, sitting in the water, fishing for marlin, or maybe catfish.

Where did the Fosdick White Swan go?

Today I brought flour tortillas and brown rice tortillas for the Fosdick White Swan. With the Fosdick White Swan absent I threw chunks of the flour tortillas at the Fosdick Ducks. The ducks liked the flour tortillas, fighting over the chunks. But, there was no fighting over the brown rice tortillas. Those were totally rejected.

Fussy ducks.

I wonder if the Fosdick White Swan decided to fly out of town, heading north for the summer. Maybe a flock of swans flew overhead, with the Fosdick White Swan deciding to flock with birds of the same feather.

Speaking of strange bird behavior. This morning I was freshly reminded of my great disdain for passive-aggressive hypocritical neurotics.

No, I am not talking about Elsie Hotpepper, but I was sitting here thinking Miss Hotpepper has gone missing again when I saw Elsie show up, right now, via incoming email.

Let's open the Hotpepper email and see what's on Elsie's mind....

Flooding in Germany on the Elbe River.

Clearly Germany needs an Elbe River Vision to put a stop to this type flooding. Perhaps a flood diversion channel would have abated this disaster. J.D Granger really should lend his flood control expertise to Germany and help do to them what he's been doing for, and to, Fort Worth.

A Near Wreck Skateboarding Around Fosdick Lake With A Mysterious Town Talk Shopper

I nearly had a wreck on the drive to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake today before going to Town Talk.

I was stopped at a 3 way stop. I was the only person stopped at the 3 way stop. A white SUV was heading east towards one of the 3 stop signs. But the white SUV did not stop. The white SUV sped right past the stop sign, with me managing to slam the brakes fast enough to stop my left turn before hitting the side of the white SUV.

Is the ticket a Fort Worth driver gets for running a stop sign more or less expensive than the Fort Worth no seatbelt tickets?

At Oakland Lake Park today I saw something I've not seen there before. As in a guy whisking along at high speed atop Fosdick Dam, breaking the speed limit on a skateboard.

I was a distance away when I saw this skateboarding phenomenon, which explains the slightly fuzzy zoomed photo.

A light drizzle drizzled when I reached the Oakland Lake Park parking lot. So, I carried my unopened bumbershoot with me in case the drizzle accelerated in to rain mode.

I finished my drizzly walking without needing to open my bumbershoot.

It being Saturday, Town Talk was very busy. I had a little trouble finding a parking spot.

My best find from Town Talk treasure hunting today was something called Tyson Fresh Pork Carnitas. I have no idea what I am going to do with this. I suppose stick it in the slow cooker and hope for the best.

I almost bought a container filled with habanero peppers til a person starting raising a fuss about how dangerous they are, that they might blind this person and this person is already down to one eye.

I keep referring to this person as this person because I don't know what gender, for sure, this person is.

I have seen this person in Town Talk before. Very tall, as in over 6 and a half feet tall. Long, curly red hair. Always in blue jeans that seem to show slightly shapely hips. And a bit of a gut. This person is very talkative, talking to everyone within earshot. Last Saturday I overheard this person having a bizarre conversation about shopping at Macy's in New York City.

When checkout time came the shortest of the long lines had me behind this person. Checkout was slowed when this person decided he/she needed a package of that Tyson Fresh Pork Carnitas I previously referenced.

When the Town Talk checkout person told this person the total owed, he/she did that stereotypically female thing of seeming like it was a total shock that it is now time to pay up.

He/she carries a giant purse, which is one of the reasons I thought he was a she. Out of the purse he/she retrieved what looked to be another purse. With a lot of fluttering he/she then displayed a bunch of credit cards, like a poker hand, and asked the Town Talk checkout person to pick one.

By the time my checkout was completed and my card was being processed the mysterious person had moved on to talking to fresh people. I quietly asked the Town Talk checkout person if that odd person was a man or a woman? The Town Talk checkout person said she thought he was a man. I then said, but didn't you notice the big purse? She then said that wallet did not seem like a man's "wallet" either.

Shoppers like the 6 foot 6 mysterious person of indeterminate gender and other interesting Town Talk shoppers are part of what I find fun about Town Talking each week.  That and being surprised by what I might find on any given visit...

A Saturday Monitor Malfunction With A Water Free Fort Worth Picnic & No Samosas

Dead Calm Fosdick Lake

Today Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park was hosting the biggest flotilla of floating ducks I have ever heard quacking at this location.

This 3rd Saturday of the 2nd month of 2013 has been a dead calm, clear blue sky, perfect middle of winter type day in Texas.

This 3rd Saturday of the 2nd month of 2013 began not too auspiciously.

I woke up my computer before the sun arrived this morning. All was fine for a minute or two. And then my second monitor went into malfunction mode, with a pop and a hiss. The monitor was toasted.

But, I had a replacement monitor ready to replace the dead one. So, by the time the sun arrived all was back functioning again in my computer world.

Way back in the early 1990s I bought a computer from Gateway. A now very antique 386 era computer. I was real happy when the new computer arrived, excited was I to set it up. And then, when powered up for the first time, the Gateway monitor did not turn on. Instead it started spewing smoke.

Switching the subject from bad monitors back to Oakland Lake Park.

Today there was a large group having a picnic in the Fosdick Pavilion. Meat products I was unable to identify were being barbecued.

When I see this type thing happening at this park it bothers me.

Because there is no running water available at the Fosdick Pavilion, or anywhere else in Oakland Lake Park. The park's restroom facility is one outhouse. An outhouse with no place to wash ones hands.

Well, there is the lake water, if one was feeling brave and willing to ignore the bad water warnings.

Big Bird Out Of Water

Does my old home state have some sort of law mandating modern facilities at parks with picnic facilities?

Is that why I don't remember seeing such an uncivilized thing til I moved to Texas?

In addition to the picnic without water, I saw a big bird out of the water. I don't think this big bird was a duck. He or she did not seem to mind me getting sort of close.

Changing the subject from Big Birds to Town Talk.

Since this is Saturday naturally I went to Town Talk after my daily dose of endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation.

Prior to leaving my abode today I cooked up some rice, flavored with curry, ginger and jalapenos to go well with Indian food, because I'd planned to get a box of Chicken Samosas at Town Talk. Well, the boxes of Chicken Samosas were no where to be found at Town Talk.

The only thing I got in a box at Town Talk today was a case of Siggis Icelandic Grapefruit Yogurt. I also got a big bag of Texas Grapefruit. Among other things.

Today The Fosdick Turtles Were Performing For The Oakland Lake Park Crowd Of Visitors

Fosdick Turtles & Their Happy Dancing

Apparently summer decided to make a temporary return to North Texas for Thanksgiving Week, which had the turtles of Fosdick Lake in high fiving celebrating mood, today, after their recent bouts with frigid temperatures.

Why are the turtles of Fosdick Lake, in Oakland Lake Park, such willing photo posers? While the turtles who live with the Indian Ghosts in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area are totally camera shy, so much so that I've never successfully taken a picture of any of them.

It may be that the turtles of Fosdick Lake are used to having a lot of close encounters with humans.

Like today.

I don't remember ever seeing so many little kids walking around Fosdick Lake as I did today.

Below you see some of the kids and their parental units. The pair of tall blondes were maternal units to some of the kids. Prior to the scene in the below picture one of the tall blondes let out a very charming yell with a very thick Texas accent, yelling to her kids, "Y'all get back here now."

I find a good thick Texas accent to be very charming. Even when the accent goes into yelling mode it still sounds charming to my Yankee ears.

Elsie Hotpepper has a pretty good Texas accent. I've never heard Elsie Hotpepper in yell mode, not that I remember. Some Texas accents, like the one that lady had in the above photo, well they just sort of drip honey. Elsie Hotpepper is not exactly a honey dripper, her delivery is too rapid for that, but the Hotpepper accent is still quite pleasant to listen to.

For several mornings of late I've run the furnace to heat up this space. This afternoon my windows are open.

I went swimming this morning. I lasted a couple minutes before I got in the hot tub. But the hot tub was quickly too hot, so I got back in the cool pool and swam for several more minutes.

|With today's high supposed to be in the 80 degree range I suspect I will be able to swim as long as I want to tomorrow morning, without going into shiver mode.

I have all my fixin's, for the most part, for my Thanksgiving Buffet. Invitation only. $30 a person, includes beverage.