Balmy Sikes Lake Walk With First Texas Wildflowers Of The Year

This past weekend's weather unpleasantness has faded from memory, what with the return of blue sky and warm air at my location a few miles south of the Red River and the Oklahoma border.

About an hour before noon I opted to enjoy the balmy outdoors via a fast walk to Sikes Lake.

It has been weeks since I have walked to and around Sikes Lake.

Today at Sikes Lake I saw my first outbreak of the year of Texas wildflowers. Those being the pink primroses you see here, with more sort of visible on the other side of the lake.

I am fairly certain I have named this pink wildflower correctly, but if I am wrong I am sure either my favorite Texoma horticulturist, Miss Misty, or my favorite Fort Worth horticulturist, Miss Julie, will correct me.

The pink primrose is the first Texas wildflower my eyes every saw. It was way back in May of 1998. On the way to the Dallas/Fort Worth zone, which at that point in time I did not know was referred to as the Metroplex, or Metromess, on the last night before reaching DFW I stayed over night in Amarillo.

The next morning, heading southeast on 287, I was first struck by seeing the flattest I had ever seen the planet being. A level, flat horizon, far in the distance, no matter what direction one looked. I'd never see anything like this before.

And then delicate, little pink flowers began showing up along the side of the road. After about 100 miles of seeing these little pink flowers I got off the road for a closer look.

I do not remember at what point in time I was informed, or by whom, that these delicate, little pink flowers were wildflowers known as pink primroses.

I have never thought to get close enough to a pink primrose to smell if they share a pleasant type fragrance with their namesake. I suspect not, or such would waft into the air without the need for a close up inspection...

Republicans Make Me Grumpy So I Went Wildflower Hunting

The temperature when the sun arrived at my location this morning was only 46. So I opted out of making it four days in a row in the pool.

As you can clearly see, due to that fountain burbling beside my left eye, today I took my grumpy self to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake, along with a lot of other people enjoying the pleasantly warmed 4th day of March.

I only made it through the first hour of last night's Republican Embarrassment.

A couple days ago one of my progressive liberal democratic socialist type friends up in Washington asked me if the Republicans are seeming stupid to us now, because we are older, or have they always been this stupid?

The day before that I had asked my mom the same question, to which my mom said she'd just asked my dad the same thing.

Imagine Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan or the first Bush up on that stage last night. Any of those four would have made Trump, Rubio and Cruz look so far out of the presidential league. Kasich at least acts grown-up.

Apparently a lot of people are like me and have an instinctual visceral bad reaction to Ted Cruz, sort of like how those of us who are snakeaphobes react to a snake. Which makes sense, what with Ted Cruz seeming so reptilian.

Anyway, the walk around Fosdick Lake put me in a better mood, particularly when I came upon what you see below, a patch of purple wildflowers in the early stage of blooming.

The hills in these parts should soon be alive with color. Last year the wildflowers were a bit of a dud, due to the drought. I suspect this year's wildflowers are going to be spectacular, due to that drought thing no longer being a vexation.

Unreliable HostGator Is Down Again While Evening Primroses Blow In The Wind By Arlington's Village Creek

Not happy in Texas right about now. Found out a few minutes ago, when trying to send an email to Elsie Hotpepper, that my formerly reliable website host, HostGator, is down, again.

The last time this happened was back in November, but, even though that is about a half year ago, it seems like yesterday.

I can't email via my durangotexas.com domain, but I can blog via Google, which is what I am doing right now.

Early this morning I managed to have myself a fairly mighty fine time via a hot tub hydrotherapy session, combined with three cool pool dips.

A few minutes before noon I rolled my mechanized wheels to Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area to visit the Indian ghosts who haunt that location and to get down on the ground to take a picture of my favorite Texas wildflower, one I believe is called the Evening Primrose.

I saw my first Evening Primrose late in the last century. I was heading to the Dallas/Fort Worth zone to check out the concept of moving there. Somewhere southeast of Amarillo, driving on Highway 287, I started seeing patches of what looked to be a very delicate pink flower. After many miles of the pink patches I stopped along the road for a closer look.

At that point in time I did not realize wildflowers like this colored up the Texas landscape for a brief time every year, at some time after winter turns into spring.

As you can sort of tell, via the picture above, the Evening Primroses were blowing in the wind today. As was I....

Seeing Blooming Daffodils Has Me Wondering Where The Texas Bluebonnets Have Gone

I saw what you see on the left on my old hometown newspaper online this morning.

Daffodils blooming. Lots of daffodils.

Apparently spring sprang on schedule in my old home zone, with the Skagit Valley in multi-color mode with acres upon acres of fields of daffodils, tulips and other bloomers.

Meanwhile, at my location in Texas, where spring has also sprung, we are currently over two-thirds through the month of March, with nary a colorful wildflower to be seen.

Where have all the bluebonnets gone?

Hiking With The Indian Blankets Blanketing The Windy Tandy Hills

What you are looking at in the picture is what is known as an Indian Blanket Wildflower.

I know this is an Indian Blanket Wildflower because renowned Fort Worth Horticulturist, CatsPaw, told me so on Friday after I mentioned in a blog post that one particular wildflower seemed to be obliterating all others in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area.

Today I was back on the Tandy Hills for the first time in about a week, if I'm remembering correctly. The amount of wildflowers doing their annual wildflower blooming duty has greatly diminished since my last visit.

And, just like in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area, on the hills of the Tandy Hills Natural Area, Indian Blankets seemed to be putting on the most abundant display.

The Indian Blankets you see above were in a patch near the summit of Mount Tandy. These may be my new favorite Texas Wildflower.

Changing the subject from wildflowers to my favorite subject, that being the weather.

I have grown tired of the non stop wind. There were whitecaps on the pool when I went swimming this morning. I was tempted to get my surfboard out of the closet.

Changing the subject again, this time from too much wind to something far more disturbing.

I found out this morning that Elsie Hotpepper has made it safely back to Texas. That is a relief. However, Elsie is wanting me to join her tomorrow is some sort of gang related activity that makes me a bit nervous....

The Obliteration Of The Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Texas Bluebonnets

I prefer my Wildflower Areas to have a variety of wildflowers in a variety of colors.

My wildflower preference was not in play today at the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Areas on either side of Village Creek, which you can see documented in the photo.

A predominately orange, with a smattering of yellow, wildflower has taken over the Wildflower Area, muting the pink evening primroses and obliterating the struggling Texas bluebonnets.

Isn't there a law on the Texas books making it a felony to obliterate Texas bluebonnets?

Speaking of obliterating Texas bluebonnets, I was about to issue a BOLO for Elsie Hotpepper, who went missing yesterday. But, Elsie surfaced this morning, to let me know she has left Texas.  Something to do with federal litigation, I think. Whatever that means. The message was very cryptic.

I am almost 100% that Elsie Hotpepper has not found herself in hotwater with the Obama IRS goon squads that target right wing nut groups, because I am almost 100% certain Elsie Hotpepper is not a right wing nut.

Changing the subject from Elsie Hotpepper to my favorite subject, that being the weather.

My computer based weather monitoring device is indicating the humidity is only 76%. But, it feels like a  100% humid wet blanket in the outer world.

It was so humid when I went swimming this morning that my sunglasses fogged up. I think that was caused by the humidity.

Walking With Village Creek Indian Ghosts In Fields Of Wildflowers With Big Green Snakes

When I go hiking in the wild in Texas I am almost always armed with my snake stick. Even on cold days when snakes are rendered immobile due to their cold bloodedness.

My year round arming of myself with a snake stick could be taken as being an indication of my fear level when it comes to slithering reptiles.

Today, whilst walking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area I was peacefully enjoying being lost in my thoughts when I was suddenly startled by the green slithery monster you see above.

The slithery green monster did not act in an unfriendly manner towards me, so my snake stick stayed in its holster.

Speaking of snakes, just this morning I heard from Leo, he being the snake killer killer who wants to put a stop to rattlesnake roundups, like the one in Sweetwater. Leo has been apologizing lately for mistaking me for being a snake killer apologist.

The Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area seems to be tripling its amount of color every three days.

Well, I guess that is a bit of a stretch to say that the amount of color is tripling every three days. More accurately today it appeared there were about three times the number of blooms blooming three days ago.

I see via incoming email that Elsie Hotpepper has tasked me with an URGENT task. Since this is URGENT I really should go attend to it, lest the Hotpepper overheat.

A Plethora Of Village Creek Wildflowers Thinking About Skagit Valley Tulips

Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area today was blooming a lot more wildflowers than what it was blooming just two days ago.

And so it seems, wildflower season has finally arrived in North Texas.

Yesterday, whilst walking in my neighborhood I came upon a flower growing wild that I thought was a wildflower, but I was later informed this particular flower is known as a very common Iris.

I don't know why a very common Iris can not also be a wildflower.

Currently my old home location, that being the Skagit Valley in the State of Washington, is in the midst of the annual Skagit Tulip Festival, running from April 1 through April 30.

Over a million visitors come to the Skagit Valley each year to look at the tulips and other flowers blooming on the valley floor.

Until 1985 I lived in West Mount Vernon, on the west side of the Skagit River. This meant every weekend during the Tulip Festival I had myself a really fine time dealing with the worst traffic jams I've ever experienced anywhere.

The traffic problems have improved over the years, with mass transit hauling some of the visitors in buses. And better control of the traffic flow.

Looking at the Skagit Tulip Festival website I see a mission statement...

The Mission of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is to coordinate and promote a countywide Spring celebration of the tulip bloom, in commemoration of the valley’s annual tulip harvest, and to be an advocate for Skagit Valley agriculture.

Reading the above had me wondering if Tarrant County has a countywide celebration advocating anything. Skagit County has countywide public transit. Tarrant County does not have countywide public transit.

Does Tarrant County have countywide anything? I'm drawing a blank.

Well, there is the Tarrant Regional Water District, that covers more than Tarrant County,  but I don't know of the Tarrant Regional Water District celebrating advocating anything other than conserving water, except for the water the Tarrant Regional Water District sells to gas drillers, who mix the water with chemicals and shoot it underground, turning it into water the Tarrant Regional Water District does not worry about conserving....

Looking At The Village Creek Wildflower Area Thinking About Going To Earth Day In Dallas

A lot of people were with me today having a natural, historical walk in Arlington with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

The burst we got, a few days ago, of energizing H2O, via a sky delivery, seems to have jump started the Texas Wildflowers which have been dormant for too long.

As you can see, the designated Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area is showing a little color among the carpet of green foliage.

Speaking of green. This morning I was asked if I wanted to go Fair Park in Dallas on Saturday, April 20, for some sort of Earth Day event. I am awaiting further details before agreeing to go. The plan would be to take the Trinity Railway Express to Dallas, then the DART train to Fair Park.

Sounds like an adventure to me.

Everyone knows I am adventure averse.

Speaking of adventure, this morning I had myself a real fine time swimming in the cool pool. The outer world at my location was heated to some temperature in the 60s by the time the sun arrived to amp up the heating to its current 67 degrees.

Currently clouds are between me and the sun. I had planned on an afternoon swim and doing some poolside lounging to work on my tan in preparation for swimming with the South Padre Island dolphins.

Maybe by the time lunch is done the sun will make an appearance....

Tandy Hill Hiking Unsuccessful Finding Texas Wildflowers Blooming

Yesterday I read somewhere that a couple species of Texas Wildflowers had been spotted blooming on the Tandy Hills.

So, today I went hill hiking on the Tandy Hills, covering mile after hilly mile, looking for the couple species of Texas Wildflowers that had been spotted blooming on the Tandy Hills.

To no avail.

By the time my illusive Texas Wildflower search came to the Tandy Amphitheater zone I felt the need to sit for awhile.

And so I did.

Texas Wildflower hunting is exhausting.

I wonder if reservations are going to be required to secure a seat for the Tandy Amphitheater shows during the Power to the Prairie 2013 Prairie Fest, Saturday, April 27?

Despite my Texas Wildflower finding failure, I got in some good hill hiking endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation, in perfect temperature conditions, not too hot, not too cold. A Goldilocks type day.

I had myself a good bout of cool pool hot tub cycling early this morning. I think that activity also induces some endorphins.

With the temperature currently being 67, heading to a potential high today somewhere in the 70s, tomorrow's cool pool bout may not require any hot tub interaction. I will know for sure in the morning, about one minute after getting in the cool pool.

In Search Of Fosdick Lake Wildflowers While Wondering About Vegetable Fungus

Prior to my regularly scheduled Saturday visit to Town Talk I stopped at Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake.

The only flower type color I saw today in the Fosdick Lake zone was the pink color you see in the picture.

With the end of March rapidly approaching I grow concerned that the Texas Wildflowers might not be putting on their regular reliable colorful show this year.

My memory is not to be trusted, but I think I remember wildflowers already coloring up the outer world at this early Spring point in time, in years past.

Have we not had enough water drop from the sky to cause the sprouting of wildflowers?

This morning's storm did not drop much water at my location. All was dry by the time I walked around Fosdick Lake.

All the electrical zapping this morning seems to have had a cleansing effect on the air that I breathe. Mother Nature's negative ionizer did a good job.

My house in Mount Vernon had a negative ionizer as part of the ventilation system. This made for an extremely low level of dust in that house, unlike my current dusty abode with no negative ionizer, except for that occasionally provided by the aforementioned Mother Nature.

This morning I was in the mood to make Chinese food for lunch. My in-house vegetable supply was non-existent. I told myself if I found something at Town Talk that seemed to empower Chinese food, then I'd go with the Chinese food for lunch mood.

Well, I walked into the Town Talk warehouse and what do I find? Bok Choy, yellow peppers, onions and mushrooms.

So, it was Chinese food for lunch. A pork stir fry with the Town Talk veggies. Are mushrooms a vegetable? I guess I should ask if a fungus is a vegetable? Is it?

Hiking On The Tandy Hills In One Of The Greatest Cities In The World

In the photo you are looking west from the summit of Mount Tandy, from whence a wagon trail heads towards the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, a town some of the locals believe is known planet-wide as one of the Greatest Cities in the World.

More on the Greatest Cities in the World delusion in a subsequent blogging.

Today's hiking conditions were just about perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. And not windy.

With local kids on Spring Break I would have thought there would be some kids doing some hill hiking today. But I saw none.

I heard on the radio whilst driving to the Tandy Hills that traffic was a bit congested in the area around the Fort Worth Zoo due to Wednesday being half price admission day at the zoo, which always draws a big crowd to the zoo during Spring Break.

I've only been to the Fort Worth Zoo once, a long long time ago. There were areas of the Fort Worth Zoo that I liked. And other parts that I did not like. Like the aquarium. Is that aquarium still operating? It smelled bad and looked sort of rundown. Not the type thing you expect to see in the zoo of one of the Greatest Cities in the World.

Speaking of things you don't expect to see. Today I came upon a pile of litter at an unlikely location on the Tandy Hills.

That is the pile of litter I am talking about, above. This pile of litter is located just a short distance south of Tandy Falls. Where did it come from and who left it at this location? The two metal chunks of litter looked like they'd be heavy and cumbersome to carry.

Green is beginning to re-appear on that which has been brown for months. It being March wildflowers should soon be blooming. To my eyes, the best Texas ever looks is when the wildflowers are blooming.

A Crowded Sunday Walk With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts

On MLK Day I saw my first wildflower of the new year, a bright yellow wildflower in one of the designated Wildflower Areas in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Today there were a lot more of the bright yellow wildflowers blooming, along with curious looking cotton snowball-like wildflowers, one of which you see in the picture.

Sunday is my favorite day to walk with the Indian ghosts who haunt Village Creek, due to there usually being a lot of other people also walking with the ghosts.

With the outer world being heated well into the 60s, the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's parking lot had only a couple open spaces upon my arrival. This was the busiest I've ever seen this particular parking lot.

One of the ghost walkers had 6 dogs with him. None of which were on a leash. The dogs were all different breeds, ranging from a small dachshund to a big greyhound. The 6 dogs were well behaved. Except for a dachshund. Her name was Pepper. The guy walking Pepper kept yelling her name to get her back on the trail.

I did not see any armadillos today. I don't know how happy the armadillos would be to see 6 unleashed dogs. Except for Pepper. I don't think little Pepper would scare an armadillo. They'd likely just laugh at her in that high pitched giggle noise they make.

Sunday I also my favorite day to go to Walmart. It can be very chaotic, with a very amusing cross section of humanity to peruse. I think I'll go to Walmart in about an hour.

A Fisherman Getting His Feet Wet In Fosdick Lake With Bright Orange Wildflowers

Apparently it was a good day to go fishing on Fosdick Lake today, even though eating a fish one caught in Fosdick Lake might turn out to be a fatal mistake.

There were several fishermen and fisherwomen fishing in Fosdick Lake today.

The fisherman you see in the picture had his seat sitting in the water, with his feet submerged in the toxic Fosdick brew.

I figure if there are warning signs telling people not to eat the Fosdick fish, not to swim in the Fosdick water and to not even launch a boat in the toxic Fosdick brew, that dipping ones feet in the water might not be a good idea.

I wonder if Fosdick Lake is one of Fort Worth's West Nile Virus mosquito breeding grounds slated for spraying? It seems that that would add even more toxicity to the already toxic Fosdick brew.

Even though we are having ourselves a Mosquito Crisis in North Texas, I have yet to see my first Texas mosquito, let alone get bit by one.

Maybe the unseasonably, unreasonably chilly temperatures will put a damper on the rampant North Texas mosquito breeding.

It was barely in the 80s when I drove to Oakland Lake Park, at noon, to walk around Fosdick Lake. Now, hours later my computer based temperature monitoring device is telling me it is only 89 degrees in the outer world at my location.

Are we done with 100 degree days for the year? I hope so.

Even though the prime time of the Texas wildflower season is long past, there is still some color coloring up the outdoors in Texas, like the bright orange flower I stared at today located near the south end of Fosdick Lake.

A Good Friday Hike On The Tandy Hills With Wildflowers

It was a Good Friday to be hiking on the Tandy Hills today. I drove to the top of Mount Tandy, around noon, gambling that sufficient time had passed to dry the hills to hikability after Tuesday's Tornado Deluge.

I was in dire need of some endorphin therapy, that I can only get via some good aerobic stimulation.

Swimming does not seem to provide me enough aerobic stimulation. I need my hiking.

The wildflowers are now coloring up all over the Texas prairie.

Like the big yellow ones you see in the picture. These may be my favorite of the Texas Wildflowers. These yellow beauties were sprouted out all over the Tandy Hills today.

I think there may have been yet one more Tandy Hills sanitary sewer malfunction, caused by Tuesday's rain. The Tandy Highway has fresh truck tire ruts mucking up the road. I did not walk where the previous malfunction occurred to see if there was any evidence that a new river of untreated unsanitary water had been flowing.

I felt real good going up the hills today. Apparently I am completely recovered from that which recently ailed me, which I believe I acquired courtesy of my favorite brother-in-law.

Usually, at least a couple times a month, I get worried about Elsie Hotpepper being missing. Currently I am not worried about Elsie Hotpepper. But, I am concerned about 3 people up north in Washington. Carlotta Camano seems to have gone missing. And yesterday I learned that Betty Jo Bouvier and Honey Lulu hitched a ride to Seattle.

I do not think it is safe for young beauties, like Betty Jo Bouvier and Honey Lulu, to be hitchhiking. Particularly in Washington, with that state's history of breeding serial killers. Unlike Elsie Hotpepper, neither Betty Jo Bouvier or Honey Lulu pack heat, courtesy of a concealed weapon permit.

Walking With Village Creek Indian Ghost Crows Thinking About Healing Cabbage Soup & Yellow Wildflowers

Village Creek Indian Ghost Crows

I thought a walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area might make me feel a lot better than the headachy respiratory woes misery I was suffering this morning.

I thought right. I feel way better having breathed in some of what passes for fresh air on this part of the planet.

In the picture you are looking at a pair of crows at the top of a pair of oak trees that overlook the Village Creek Blue Bayou.

Crows were and are a big deal in the Native American culture. I'm sure there must have been some deep spiritual significance to the two crows who were keeping an eye on me whilst I communed with the Indian Ghosts.

Spring really felt in the air today, even though it is over a month til the Vernal Equinox. Wildflowers are doing some early blooming, like the beautiful, bright yellow wildflower you see below.

Is that not a colorful bloom of yellow? The grass was semi-carpeted with these sunny blooms today. The sunny yellow blooms did not give off a pleasant fragrance.

Among the bright, yellow wildflowers were these white balls of cotton looking wildflowers. These white ball of cotton wildflowers remind me of the top of the Reunion Tower in Dallas.

It is time for lunch now. I made a supposedly healing pot of cabbage chicken soup. That is what the recipe called it, a healing pot of soup. I will let you know if it healed me. I have my doubts.

There Is A Hot Wind Blowing Purple Wildflowers On The Tandy Hills Today With Eco-Terrorism

A couple minutes ago I got back from the HOT Tandy Hills. 94 degrees right now, with the humidity making it feel like 97. A steady wind of about 20 mph is blowing, without which I suspect the Heat Index would be higher.

Blowing in the wind today was the field of purple wildflowers you see in the picture.

During this Super Heated time of the year when I stop moving to take a picture I'm instantly drenched, like in a steambath.

The Tandy Hills latest Guerrilla Art Installation called Two Orange Flags in Feces had not grown anymore flags since yesterday.

CatsPaw has speculated that the Two Flags in Feces Art Installation may be some sort of low level eco-terrorism.

I am not totally certain, but I believe eco-terrorism is not allowed in Texas.

Getting My Tandy Hills Endorphin Fix While Thinking About Fort Worth's Paradise Center

Yesterday I had no aerobic endorphin stimulating activity except for swimming.

Endorphin withdrawal hits quick and hard.

I remedied that today by hitting the Tandy Hills quick and hard.

There are still plenty of wildflowers coloring up the Tandy Hills landscape, like the delicate looking one blowing in the breeze in the picture.

I returned to my current location in a much better mood than when I left my current location.

And then soon had my much better mood turned into a somewhat foul mood.

If you've been following the Paradise Center Scandal you've likely read some of the extremely ugly comments some extremely ugly commenters have made.

I don't moderate the Paradise Center Scandal Blog comments. I can delete a bad comment after it gets published. But I've not yet done so.

The worst of these ugly type comments are the ones that go after the daughter of the director of the Paradise Center. The commenters making the ugly comments all act as if they are proponents and supporters of MHMR-TC and its CEO Jim McDermott.

Some of the comments brag about all the great things MHMR-TC has bought and installed in the old Paradise Center building. And then make fun of what is in the new Paradise Center building.

Which had me feeling real bad and real stupid today, whilst hiking the Tandy Hills, when I remembered Miss Puerto Rico calling me and asking me if I knew anyone who might want her perfectly fine 36 inch TV. It did not cross my mind to take it to the Paradise Center. Miss PR gave it to one of her co-workers.

I do not know what type items, if any, Paradise Center currently needs. Are there any church or service groups in Tarrant County that could inquire as to what might be needed? And help?

I'm guessing Paradise Center might appreciate outdoor furniture, like lawn chairs. Indoor furniture, maybe, like couches and chairs. I'll try and find out what, if anything, Paradise Center could use some help with.

Walking With The Ghosts Along Arlington's Humid Village Creek Wildflowers

Til today, I had had no aerobic activity of the hiking sort since Tuesday.

I could not go swimming this morning due to the pool being shocked with chemicals.

Rain fell this morning, ruling out the Tandy Hills.

By noon I could take being cooped up no longer, so I took off to the Village Creek Natural Historic Area in Arlington.

The humidity was high before the rain. The humidity went super high after the rain. It was very windy whilst walking under the trees of Village Creek. The wind caused blobs of water to fall from the trees. That was a bit refreshing.

I like being outside when it is hot. I do not like being outside when it is humid.

I did not walk for long. Maybe 2 miles, tops. But, I feel better now, even though I don't think I aerobicized enough to generate any endorphin activity.

The Village Creek wildflowers, in the Village Creek Wildflower Area, were being much more colorful today than the last time I was in this area.

When I tried to take a close up picture of the bright red flower, in macro mode, I could not get a clear picture. So, I gave up and walked away, thinking something had gone wrong with my camera.

Then, as I walked away I remembered the first pictures I took of the Wildflower Area had been in zoom mode, which renders macro mode not macro-ing correctly.

So, I walked back to the Wildflower Area, got down on the ground and this time managed to take a clear picture of the bright red wildflower.

Lately I think I'm being distracted, without realizing it. I seem to be making dumb mistakes, like today's with the camera, with disturbing frequency.

Having A Bad Day Of Senility Signs & Train Blocks On The 3rd Day Of May In Texas

The picture is a perfect metaphor for how I'm feeling.

Blocked.

I had myself a rough night of rough nightmares and that had me waking up feeling beat up.

I thought swimming in really cold water would break me out of it, like shock therapy. This did not work. But it made me very cold.

My brain is just not working right today.

Well before noon I took off from here, heading to Pantego. I had multiple reasons to be going to Pantego.

The way to Pantego goes by Village Creek Natural Historic Area. I thought maybe a short walk was what I needed to get the synapses in my failing brain firing right again.

I was wrong. The walk provide no noticeable benefit.

I'm so badly malfunctioning I could not even manage to take a decent picture of the Village Creek Natural Wildflower area and the sign that tells you that that is what the sparse patch of wildflowers is.

Eventually this morning, at one point, I ended up in an ALDI Food Market. When I checked out my brain was still checked out, which caused me to use the wrong debit card. This was no big deal, but did require changing what I'd planned to do during the bank visit that was also part of this morning's adventure in minor senility.

When I left ALDI is when I came to the train blocking my way. I've heard more than once that Arlington is the only major city in America that allows itself to be cut in two by a train several times a day. There are only a couple ways to get past the track in Arlington.

That seems really odd to me. The little town I used to live in, Mount Vernon, has a train track running through it. There are several ways to get over the tracks. But, I do remember getting stuck waiting for a train a time or two on College Way, which was the main route I'd take back to my house.

It seems like a big waste of gas to have so many vehicles stopped and waiting for a train several times a day. A lot of money was spent fixing up the I-30 freeway in Arlington, with new bridges and new freeway that really does not seem to be all that big of an improvement.

Eventually the double-decker train came to an end and I was able to continue on my way.

Right now it is half past 3 in the afternoon and I feel so beat up I'm ready to go to bed. But, I don't see that happening for a few hours. In the meantime maybe I'll go try some more cold water pool therapy and do some sun lounging now that it is almost 70 degrees out there.