38 Degrees Under 100 This First Tuesday Of September In Formerly HOT Texas

Outside, in the pre-dawn darkness, looking through the bars of my patio prison cell at a chilly pool, on this, the 6th Day of September, I am feeling good, because I had myself one very good night's sleep, due to no air conditioner running, no ceiling fan spinning, no hot temperatures in the outer world and windows able to be wide open.

Even though my windows were wide open I smelled no wildfire smoke, even though this morning I learned we have a wildfire, or two, burning in Fort Worth.

Currently, just minutes before 7 in the morning and the arrival of the daily nuclear explosions in the sky, my zone of Texas is chilled to 62 degrees.

Yesterday getting in the pool was actually slightly bracing, which seemed to be a good thing. This morning I suspect the bracing level will be higher. I hope that is a good thing.

Monster Wildfires Scorching Texas During Worst Drought Since The 1950s

In the picture you are looking at the current headline on Fox News online, in the early Labor Day evening.

Monster wildfires are scorching Texas.

Today, a wildfire burning near Austin killed 2 people and destroyed about 300 homes. This particular wildfire is advancing across parched ranch land, unchecked, on a 16 mile front. So far this fire has burned 17,500 acres.

Texas is in the midst of the worst drought since the 1950s.

So far, during this bad bout of wildfires I have yet to smell the burn of a single fire. The smoke from the Possum Kingdom Lake fires, burning to the west of my location, has not reached my olfactory senses.

Several years ago we had a bad wildfire outbreak in North Texas. I remember getting quite familiar with that acrid odor.

I recollect driving back to the D/FW Metroplex from the east and wondering what the strange black wall was that seemed to be advancing on D/FW.

It was the smoke from a massive wildfire.

I have never seen these parts of the planet as parched as they are right now. I've never seen the Tandy Hills looking like a tinderbox, like it is right now.

I suspect before we finally get some fire damping precipitation we are going to have a bad wildfire too close to the D/FW Metroplex, generating a wall of smoke and that awful acrid odor I really don't want to be smelling.

Following A Texas Rocket Car While Pondering The Gail Galtex Rant About Fort Worth Incompetence

This afternoon at a little before one in the afternoon I was heading west on Harwood, coming up on Harwood's intersection with the Grapevine Highway, also known as Highway 26, when the Rocket Car you see through my windshield, rocketed past me.

The Rocket Car had a Texas license. I did not see the Rocket Man. The Rocket Car's windows were tinted.

This Rocket Car is the strangest thing I've seen on a Texas highway since I saw an Aqua Car drive into Lake Grapevine. I doubt the Rocket Car can also fly, so it's not quite as convenient as an Aqua Car.

I am now going to change the subject from flying cars to the weather. It was in the 50s when I went swimming this morning. This created the illusion that the pool was heated. It was very pleasant. So far, at just a few minutes past 3 we are currently a chilly 63 degrees. Windows open, no A/C.

I am not going to the Tandy Hills today. If the hills got hit with yesterday's rain, I don't think it's been warm enough to dry them out. I probably should go do something aerobic or else crankiness will set in.

Speaking of crankiness, the local craziness has Gail Galtex in pissed off rant mode today. I think Gail is most upset over Fort Worth's tardiness in coming to the rescue of Possum Kingdom. I learned a couple hours ago that it is hundreds of homes that have been destroyed in the Possum Kingdom zone, up from the much smaller number I was thinking had burned. Also towns, like Palo Pinto, have been evacuated. If Palo Pinto is in danger, what about Mineral Wells?

Below is Gail Galtex's Rant of the Day....

Also, did you see this in today's paper?  I am so pissed off about the TRV and the incompetence of of the FW city council I think my head is going to explode.

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/04/20/3013627/fort-worth-council-blocks-commercial.html#my-headlines-default

Also, I'm pissed off about the FW firefighters not helping, that you mentioned and that I read about in today's paper.  Here's my FB rant of the day:

Ft. Worth, with the highest property tax rate of urban cities in TX, is the worst-run city on the planet. While nearby Possum Kingdom and towns to the west have been burning for a week, Wyoming, Arizona, and California firefighters are helping. But Ft. Worth, the largest city nearby, has not helped AT ALL because of some bureaucratic gobbledy-gook. The incompetent city council finally gave approval yesterday to help.

And, to make matters worse, the gobbledy-gook issue is over liability for health/death benefits if a firefighter is killed.  Basically, FW doesn't want to have to pay these costs if a firefighter is killed outside the city, like, in Lake Worth.

I really need to calm down.  Think I'll go to HEB and do some grocery shopping. :-)

Gail

Just Another Spring Tuesday In Texas With Record Breaking Temperatures, Wildfires and Power Blackouts

In the picture you are looking at a hazy view of the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, from the Tandy Hills, today around noon.

I suspect the haziness is due to the huge wildfires burning to the west of Fort Worth, in the Lake Possum Kingdom zone. Dozens of homes have been destroyed. An area the size of Rhode Island is currently under flame in Texas.

We are heading to a record breaking temperature of 95 today. Currently it is 1 degree shy of the record.

It is very humid. The heat and the humidity turned the hiking today into a sauna steam bath.

It is now an hour later after typing "sauna steam bath." The power went out. Are we having rolling blackouts due to record breaking temperatures for this date?

It is only April 19. I think we are heading towards a super HOT summer in Texas. Currently I am not remembering how it is I can tolerate being out in it when the HEAT goes well over a 100. I am remembering why it is, if I fly up to Seattle in July or August, I'm a shivering mess pretty much the entire time I'm there.

Currently, as you can see, it is 94, with the humidity making it feel like 96. How is it one determines the temperature feels like a certain temperature, I can't help but wonder?

Today on the Tandy Hills is the third day in a row that, what I believe to be sewer water, is running through a Tandy Hills Creek. The water flows at a steady rate, but has still not reached Tandy Falls. The malodorousness of the Tandy Hills Sewer Creek was a bit amped up today. I assume due to the elevated temperature.

The only new wildflower color on the hills that I saw today was the solo pink tulip-like buttercup bloom you see in the picture.

I think I need to take an anti-histamine pill for the second time during this itchy eyes bout, which may be brought to me courtesy of wildfire smoke.

I went swimming again, during the blackout. But I did not enjoy lounging in the HOT sun for more than a couple minutes after I got out of the pool.

Miss Puerto Rico returns tomorrow, likely after midnight. I am under instructions not to turn the A/C on unless it goes over 100.

I see I have some Elsie Hotpepper incoming. I must brace myself and see what that's about.

Hot Rock Lukewarm's Photo Of Smoky Midland Texas Surrounded By Wildfires

Incoming photo from Hot Rock Lukewarm, currently out in Midland, in West Texas, where his band is playing in a gala at the Midland Petroleum Club.

The above view was from last night, looking south from beautiful downtown Midland, where the smell of smoke was strong, very windy, with fires burning in several directions from Midland.

I have not heard from the Queen of Wink, yet, as to the status of her realm. Wink is to the west of Midland, about 30 or 40 miles, I think.

What happens with all those oil wells in West Texas when a wildfire burns through?

When you drive through the West Texas zone the air reeks of petroleum.

We are now past 3 in the afternoon in my zone of Texas. As you can see in the latest weather update, what was earlier predicted to be 'A Severe T-Storm," has turned in to "A strong t-storm in spots."

Currently my zone of far east Fort Worth is not one of those spots. It is relatively sunny, birds are chirping, the wind has died down.

And I think I'll go for an afternoon swim with no fear of incoming thunderbolts.

Early Sunday Morning After A Bad Night Of Insomnia Wondering How Close The Giant West Texas Wildfire Is To The Queen Of Wink's Realm

Stepping outside on this second Sunday of April and looking up at the sky it does not appear that the expected cloud cover has yet arrived.

We are already one third of the way through April. Time seems to be accelerating along with the price of gas.

I had myself another really bad insomnia bout last night. I think this was mostly due to being unable to find a happy medium between too hot and too cold.

So far I have not smelled the acrid odor of a wildfire. The wildfire currently burning out in West Texas is enormous. I do not know if it is burning in the Queen of Wink's realm in West Texas.

Checking the hourly forecast, for my zone, I see the predicted Thunderstorm is scheduled to arrive around 3 this afternoon.

If it rains hard today, the noon time frame may be my last chance to do some Tandy Hills hiking til dryness returns.

I see a morning swim, a mid-day hike, fish and chips and a Thunderstorm in my future for the 10th day of April. I don't think I will be going for an afternoon swim in the Thunderstorm.

Admiring Tandy Hills Art Installations While Spotting A Wildfire & Thinking About West Coast Tsunami Damage

I think of all the art installations in the Tandy Hills Natural Area the Rusted Hulk of twisted metal you see in the picture may be my favorite.

The Rusted Hulk seems a more permanent art installation than the recently arrived Tandy Bamboo Teepee. Which still stands.

Near the Rusted Hulk art installation I was appalled to see that someone had drug a log on top of the Tandy Escarpment, above the currently dry Tandy Falls.

And lit the log on fire.

I took a picture of the burned log, but my photo skills did not do it justice.

Why would someone do this? Particularly when Fort Worth and its environs are under a Red Flag Warning. Which means conditions are ripe for wildfires. As I drove away from the Tandy Hills today I heard on the radio that I-287, near Rhome, was shut down due to a wild fire.

From part way down Mount Tandy, looking north, I saw the plume of white smoke you see in the picture. I've no idea if this is the Rhome wildfire.

It does not look like the smoke from previous wildfires that I've seen in Texas. They've all been a big wall of smoke.

Change of subject.

I am being a bit surprised that the tsunami from the Japan Quake has actually done damage on the West Coast. The recent bad quake in Chile brought similar West Coast tsunami warnings. But no damage was done.

The Japan Quake Tsunami has swept 5 out to sea in California and Oregon, with 4 making it back to shore and one still missing, he being a photographer taking pictures near the mouth of the Klamath River in Del Norte County, California.

Crescent City, California has again suffered tsunami damage.

17 people died on the West Coast due to the 1964 Alaska Quake tsunami, with 11 of the dead in Crescent City. Damage estimates in Crescent City are already in the millions. Other coastal towns, like Santa Cruz also sustained damage.

I have never seen a tsunami. But I have been caught by a rogue wave. This was one of the strangest experiences I've ever had. It was in the Ocean Shores area of the Pacific Coast of Washington, at the rock jetty that juts out into Grays Harbor.

The Ocean Shores zone has very wide sandy beaches. It was a Sunday. I was with my little sister, walking on the beach with a lot of other people. Suddenly it was apparent an incoming wave was way bigger than the norm. We were nowhere near the water's edge.

People who were at the water's edge began running away from the ocean. As the water kept coming I picked up my little sister and started running. The water caught up with us. I got up on a big piece of driftwood. The surging water knocked us off and pushed me forward, clinging to my little sister.

Eventually the power of the wave subsided, with insufficient water to drag us back out with it as it receded. Everyone on the beach made it out safely. I will never forget the image of an older lady wearing a big fur coat, totally drenched. And laughing. Like she was counting her blessings that she'd survived something quite phenomenal.

I do not recollect ever seeing scenes like those I've seen coming out of Japan today. Some of the tsunami images look like the tidal waves of tsunami legend.

The Japan Quake has had me on edge all day. Then again, that feeling may have been caused by staying in the pool way too long this morning, thus activating another severe case of the shivers.

It is currently 76 in my zone of Texas. No earthquakes. No chance of a tsunami.

The Last Thursday Of 2010 Dawns Pink & Warm In Texas

The dawn of the last Thursday of 2010 looks like it might arrive with the sky clear of clouds, but I can not tell for sure at this point in time.

I can tell that the dawn of the last Thursday of 2010 has arrived warmly, as in just a couple degrees shy of 60.

In other words, no furnace running this morning.

Which pleases me, because I think it is the furnace running that somehow gets my eyes watering and makes looking at the computer screen a bit blurry until the eyes leaking situation gets under control.

The Scrabble Queen of Washington is heading to Long Beach today. That is one of my favorite locations on the Washington Pacific Coast. Apparently low tides will be turning the New Year's Day weekend into a razor clam digging opportunity.

Digging for razor clams, on a beach with thousands of other clam diggers is quite fun. In summer. I can't imagine doing this in winter. It seems like it would be very wet and cold.

The Scrabble Queen is bringing her iPad along so that she can continue beating me at Scrabble. I miss my Scrabble if I don't get a daily dose. It helps greatly with firing the synapses of parts of my brain that usually lay dormant.

The sun has risen quite a bit higher and I still can not tell if the sky is clear. I can see that it is glowing pink, as you can see in the latest picture, looking outside from one of my frost-free windows.

The conditions out there are such that we are under a wildfire alert in North Texas.  The way it is glowing out there right now it looks like a wildfire is in the neighborhood.

Anyway, all I know for sure that lays ahead today for me is a bowl of chili from a big pot of the State Soup of Texas that I made last night.

Killer Texas Wildfires Smelly Smoke

Yesterday, late in the afternoon, I took off to River Legacy Park to ride the mountain bike trail. As soon as I hit the road I was appalled by what the air looked like, as in very very hazy/smoggy with very diminished visibility.

I didn't know what was going on. We were supposed to be getting thunderstorms and the sky looked very strange, I thought this might be some HUGE storm starting up.

Turns out the thick haze was the result of wildfires that sprouted up all over North Texas and Oklahoma yesterday, some of which continue burning today. The air this morning has the acrid smell of burnt grass. It is not a pleasant smell. I have not left my abode yet today, but from my current vantage point the sky looks blue, I'm not seeing a lot of haze.

It was so bad yesterday that flights had to be delayed at D/FW Airport. Fires burned in more than a dozen Texas counties. Thousands of acres burned in the D/FW zone, including forced evacuations west of Fort Worth. Two people near Montague, that's about 80 miles northwest of Dallas, died and their son was injured when a wildfire consumed their home.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality warned that people sensitive to smoke or with respiratory woes should stay indoors. I have neither of those woes, as far as I know. But I do have my windows open and I'm not really liking that burnt grass smell that is wafting through here. But I like the breeze. It's a conundrum.

Texas is Still Burning

More wind and more wildfires in the forecast for today. So far, unlike last year's wildfires, I've only faintly smelled the smoke. The closest wildfire to me has been about 3 miles away, this time,

and it was not a big one and was quickly extinguished.

On a non-Texas wildfire related matter. You who ardently read every word of my Blog, yeah, both of you, may recall me mentioning that whenever I get gas I call my mom in Phoenix to tell her how much it cost. I got gas yesterday, $2.66 a gallon for unleaded at a QT up in Southlake. So, I called my mom with my gas report. That and to wish her happy birthday.

Texas Burning

Yesterday a low-pressure system bumped into a high-pressure system that then mixed in a cold front that combined to cause hour after hour of 40 - 60 mph winds. The wind knocked down power poles which caused sparks which caused wildfires. Two of the fires were blamed on smokers tossing their cigarettes to the ground. One of the smoker caused fires burned 15 houses, another grew to be over 2,000 acres.

How do they figure out that a fire was started with a cigarette, one can't help but wonder?

Today it is supposed to blow hard again, but not as hard as yesterday. Currently the sky is very blue, very clear, as you can see from the view from my back porch. And it is very cold.