Rolling My Wheels Under A Mysterious Giant Glass Orb In Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area

As you can clearly see I am standing under the mysterious giant glass orb which hovers above a curve in the paved trail in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Underneath the mysterious giant glass orb a sign has been installed which says "Village Creek Selfie Photo Op Location".

I may have made up that thing about the selfie sign.

I had myself a mighty fine HOT bike ride with the Village Creek Indian Ghosts today.

Upon arrival at Village Creek, as I was unloading my bike, an Arlington Animal Control Officer arrived in his truck which holds captured critters. Usually it is captured possums I see get released, which is what happened today. Four of the creepy critters. I see this happen so often at this location, it must happen other times when I am not there.

I can not help but wonder how many possums have been released in this natural historical area.

Do possums eat snakes? I rarely see snakes in the Village Creek zone anymore. Years ago I regularly had encounters with all sorts of snakes, including venomous sorts like copperheads.

Upon leaving Village Creek my usual destination of late is ALDI. That was not the case today. My destination was Walmart. Midway to Walmart my phone made its incoming call noise. I could not get to the phone in time to answer it. At a stoplight I found the found the phone and saw it was my mom and dad calling. I called back as I waited for the light to turn from red to green.

As I called back the phone made the incoming call noise again. I got all bum puzzled, but eventually figured out how to answer it, as I was trying to call out. It was my mom, calling a second time.

Every year my mom and dad send me a birthday card. Just about every year the card goes on an adventure that has it not arriving in a timely fashion, which then gets my mom all concerned as to the whereabouts of the tardy card.

I have not checked the mail yet today, so I do not know if the tardy card has arrived.

What I do know is it is now time for lunch....

Celebrating Elsie Hotpepper's Birthday In Arlington On A Village Creek Bike Ride With The Indian Ghosts

Today I celebrated Elsie Hotpepper's 29th birthday the way I celebrate all of Elsie Hotpepper's 29th birthdays.

That is by driving to Arlington to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area to roll my wheels with the Indian Ghosts who haunt this location on the planet.

On the way to Village Creek I needed to get gas. After getting gas I did something I'd not done in awhile, as in call my mom to tell mom  I got gas and how much it cost. That and the temperature. We always compare temperatures.

No one answered the mom and dad phone, so I left a message saying I got gas that cost $3.19 and that the temperature was nearing 100.

In the above picture my handlebars have stopped under the shade of a tree near the Village Creek Bayou Overlook. I stopped at this location because I remembered another call I needed to make. That call was not gas related. It was coffee related.

I noticed something just a bit disturbing as I zipped along the Village Creek paved trails. Only a third of August gone and leaves are beginning to fall, a harbinger of the coming fall when all the leaves fall.

I was not the only person aerobicizing today with the Village Creek Indian Ghosts. I saw multiple bikers and walkers and joggers. The heat and the humidity left me a bit dizzy when I rolled my last. I don't get how anyone manages to jog in this HEAT in the midday time frame.

I was feeling a bit light-headed by the time I got to ALDI to get some needed vittles. I was so light-headed I did not realize I'd re-installed my t-shirt incorrectly. I was in line to buy my ALDI stuff when an inquiring lady behind me asked if I knew my shirt was on backwards. I said I did not know this and inquired as to why the lady thought my shirt was on backwards. She then informed me that one does not often see pockets on the backs of t-shirts.

I was planning to go rolling on the Gateway Park mountain bike trails tomorrow. I may re-think that plan....

Biking With The Indian Ghosts Who Haunt Village Creek While Thinking About Chief Joesph

Today I am sort of copying my favorite Fort Worth blog, Hometown by Handlebar.

So, in the picture, those are my bike's handlebars, no where near my hometown, which is a couple thousand miles distant.

My handlebars are on the deck that overlooks the Blue Bayou in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Riding a bike for my mid-day constitutional is a lot less HOT than walking or hiking

Currently the outer world, according to my computer based temperature monitoring device, is being heated to 93 degrees, with the 45% humidity making the temperature really feel like 100.

Being in a HOT place makes me think about being in a cooler place. The Pacific Northwest is a much cooler place than the HOT place I am in right now.

I read on Facebook, this morning, that the Pacific Northwesterner known as Debbi Downer, is taking a long road trip from Pasco, in Eastern Washington, to Lake Wallowa, in Oregon. I think the distance from Pasco to Lake Wallowa is something like 70 miles. Debbi Downer characterized this as a long roadtrip vacation.

Lake Wallowa is at the heart of the land stolen from the Nez Perce Indians, an act of theft which led to one of the most epic battles of the Indian Wars, with multiple skirmishes, over a distance over 1,000 miles, as Chief Joesph attempted to lead his tribe to safety in Canada.

Chief Joesph and the Nez Perce were never allowed to return to the valley that was their home.

In the modern era area of Wallowa Lake there are many historical monuments making note of the history that took place in this location.

Chief Joesph died on September 21, 1904. According to his doctor, Chief Joesph died of a broken heart.

After he surrendered Chief Joesph made many attempts to right the wrong that had been done to his people. Chief Joesph traveled to Washington, D.C. three times, pleading his case to three presidents, Rutherford B. Hayes in 1879, William McKinley in 1897 and Theodore Roosevelt in 1903.

Chief Joesph spoke out repeatedly, in poetic language, about the injustice of American policy towards native people.

Chief Joesph was widely admired, even by his old adversaries, like General William Tecumseh Sherman.

Chief Joesph's most famous words were the speech he gave at the time of his surrender. They may be the most famous words ever uttered by a Native American...

"I am tired of fighting. Our chiefs are killed. Looking Glass is dead. Toohulhulsote is dead. The old men are all dead. It is the young men who say yes or no. He who led the young men is dead. It is cold and we have no blankets. The little children are freezing to death. My people, some of them, have run away to the hills and have no blankets, no food. No one knows where they are, perhaps freezing to death. I want to have time to look for my children and see how many I can find. Maybe I shall find them among the dead. Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more, forever."

Walking With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Thinking About Black Kettle, Log Plugs, A Juicy Snowstorm In Washington & Wikipedia Going Dark

A Log Plugs A Hole In A Village Creek Dam Bridge

When I woke up my computer this morning, well before the arrival of the sun, my computer temperature monitoring device indicated it was 58 degrees in the outer world.

By the time the sun arrived, the incoming cold front also arrived, dropping the temperature to 41.

I took off from my abode earlier than the norm to go on my daily bout of endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation.

I went to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area for one of my regular walks with the Indian Ghosts who haunt this area.

Indian Ghosts were on my mind today, with me thinking about Black Kettle surviving the Sand Creek Massacre, thinking he had his tribe in a safe place, protected by the American government, then a few years later, again thinking he had his tribe in a safe place, only to find himself, and his wife, murdered by George Custer and his 7th Cavalry, in the Washita River Massacre.

I'd link to the Wikipedia articles about Black Kettle and the Sand Creek and Washita River Massacres, but Wikipedia is about to go dark in a protest I don't quite understand.

My Van Rendered Immobile By Snow

A few minutes ago I blogged on my Washington Blog about the snowstorm that is covering Western Washington, today, in what may end up being a record breaking accumulation, in a blogging titled "A Juicy Snowstorm Hits Western Washington Today & Tomorrow."

In the picture you are looking out my bedroom window in my house on Pawnee Lane in Mount Vernon, Washington, in December of 1996, at what was the deepest snow I'd ever seen in the county I lived in.

I was snowbound for almost a week, that month in 1996. Today and tomorrow's snowstorm is predicted to be equal to, or deeper than the 1996 snowstorm.

I am feeling a bit homesick today.

Walking Softly While Wielding A Big Stick With Yoga & The Indians At Village Creek

A Man With His Club Heading Towards A Yoga Group

Is the moon full? Is it the lunatic time of the month?

I could not see the moon, even if it were dark and possibly visible, because we are under a thick cloud cover, currently, in this sort of parched part of the planet.

Rain was predicted for today. But, so far, none has fallen on my location.

It is currently 61 degrees. I tested the temperature of the swimming pool this morning. I deemed it not swim-worthy. Tomorrow morning I suspect it will be.

Back to today's walk with the Ghosts of the Caddoan Confederacy, the Native Americans who made up the Anadarko, Bidais, Caddo, Keechi, Kickapoo, Tawakoni, Tonkawa, Waco, Waxahachie and Wichita tribes, who used to live in a huge village that has now been reduced to being made note of via the existence of Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

Today there were a lot of people haunting Village Creek. In the picture, above, you see a club wielding man heading to a group of women doing yoga, led by a giant of a man of what looked to be of African-American distinction.

I met a couple dressed in what looked to be Middle Eastern garb, with the female of the couple wearing a head scarf and the man of the couple speaking on a smart phone in what sounded to be Arabic. I am almost 100% certain they were not on a terrorist mission. They greeted me in a very friendly manner, as I passed by, with the man taking a time out from speaking on the phone, in Arabic, to give me a very nice Texas accented "Howdy."

A family of 5, with a baby in a wobbly stroller, pushed by a dad wearing droopy drawers, which he cinched up as I approached, greeted me with a nice Mexican accented "Howdy."

I love how multi-cultural going on a walk in Texas in Village Creek Natural Historical Area is at times. Like today.

Today I Attended Church At Village Creek & Later Checked On My Obsession

A Rare View Of An Isolated Location On Village Creek

Since today is Sunday, with me being a creature of predictable habit, this would indicate I went to my regular Sunday worship place, that being going to Arlington to the Village Creek Historic Area's Natural Cathedral, where every day of the week, and especially Sunday, you can have yourself a special type of communion with the Indian Ghosts that haunt this part of Texas.

Last Sunday there was quite a large number of worshipers in the Village Creek Natural Cathedral.

Today there were several vehicles in the church parking lot, but few in the sanctuary.

I did run into a couple with a vicious, yapping little black terrier dog, which was my wickedest ankle biter encounter since Elsie Hotpepper's pit bull/poodle mix jumped up and bit me on the butt. I was grateful that bite did not require stitches. An ice pack stifled the pain and reduced the swelling.

It was 45 degrees when I went to my special church in the noon time frame. It is 49 degrees now, over 4 hours later. I doubt it will get to 50 today. Thus, I will not be going swimming in the morning. I continue to bloat up from the loss of my regular exercise.

Changing the subject from the temperature and church and hideous weight gain to my mom.

I forgot to mention that yesterday I got gas on my way to the Tandy Hills, which, obviously required calling my mom to tell mom that I got gas. Mom was not home. So, I left a message saying how much gas cost and what the temperature was.

My mom called back, last night, to tell me that mom and dad also got gas yesterday, almost as cheap as mine. And that they have also been freezing in the Phoenix zone. One of my Aunts is visiting mom and dad, from Washington, so they have been out and about.

The biggest news my mom had for me was my nephew, CJ, who lives in Scottsdale, had his house broken into. Neighbors saw the burglary in progress and called the police who caught the perps in the act. The robbers had removed pretty much everything of value. The cops returned it all with only 2 items missing. The only missing item my mom could remember was a bottle of expensive cologne that was not returned.

What is my nephew doing with a bottle of expensive cologne I sat here and wondered? I've got myself a bottle of Calvin Klein's Obsession for Men that's got to be in about its third decade of life. It's likely fermenting into an entirely new fragrance by now.

Just a second, I'll go see.....

Still smells the same to me. Except maybe I am detecting a rancid fruit note I'd not made note of before. Now thanks to you talking me into checking on my Obsession, I'm likely going to be having myself a sneezing fit now.

Thanks.

Walking 6 Dogs With The Indian Ghosts At Village Creek Natural Historic Area Today

Photo Evidence That I Have Gained Winter Weight

I don't believe the outer world at my location has been heated above freezing at any point in time, so far, today.

It is currently 31 degrees. With a 15 mph wind still making it feel like 19 degrees, the same temperature the wind made the air feel like when the sun had barely arrived this morning.

I walked with the extremely cold Indian Ghosts at Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington today.

I was not alone walking with the extremely cold Indian Ghosts today, which sort of surprised me.

As you can see, via my reflection in the mirror that is strategically placed at a curve in the trail, so that nothing can surprise you, like a fast moving biker, or a ghost, I am in full anti-freeze garb. Multiple layers, including a wool cap covered by the hood of a hoody and the hood of a windbreaker on top of the hoody hood and the wool cap.

Lady Walking 6 Dogs

Even with all that outer wear, I still got cold.

I expected to see more water flowing through Village Creek today than I saw. I was totally prepared to find the park access closed due to high water, which often happens after we get rain to fall on this formerly parched part of the planet.

I saw 3 people walking dogs with the Indian Ghosts today. One of the dog walkers was a lady with 6 dogs on leashes.

When I walked past the 6 dogs on leashes I said to the lady, "That is a lot of dogs you've got there."

To which the dog lady said she had 7 more at home. Then she asked, "Well behaved, aren't they?"

"Yes, they are very nice doggies," said I.

13 dogs? Isn't that some sort of code violation? I don't care how well behaved they are. I would not like to live next to a house with 13 dogs.

Elsie Hotpepper has 4 dogs that I know of.

That also seems a bit nuts to me.

Mitigating the nuttiness, slightly, Elsie has a big backyard where the dogs have plenty of space to roam. But, they are such poorly behaved mutts, unlike those polite 6 dogs I saw walking with that lady at Village Creek today.

Walking With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Thinking About Captain Jack's Stronghold & Custer's Last Stand

Today on my way to Pantego I stopped at the Village Creek Natural Historic Area to take a walk with the Native American Ghosts that haunt this location.

Today I left the un-natural paved trail and walked on the old Indian Trail that used to meander through one of the biggest Indian Villages in North America, hence the name of the creek.

The Indian Village in this location stretched for miles, towards the north toward the Trinity River. A river which I imagine back then was totally safe to take a bath in or drink the water as it flowed by.

The Indian tribes that lived in this location were hunters, farmers and traders. And then the Texans came and evicted them using their eventually perfected primitive form of eminent domain abuse.

Last week I read A Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn - the Last Great Battle of the American West by James Donovan.

True Crime is one of my favorite genres. Methinks the fate that befell the Native Americans falls in that category.

This book covers the period that marked the final decades of the Indian Wars, from the Powder River War victory by Red Cloud and his tribe to the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890, with Custer's Last Stand at the Little Bighorn being the focal point to tell the story.

Back when I was in grade school and high school, at that point in time the true history of the Indian Wars was not taught. What we were taught was totally skewed to the White point of view. By the time I got to college this was changing.

A few years ago I remember stopping to read a historical marker in Northern California that made note of the fact that near this location was Captain Jack's Stronghold, made famous in the Modoc War that caught the world's attention back in the 1870s, much like the federal siege at Mount Carmel, near Waco, did in the 1990s. That particular historical marker dated back to the early 1900s. It totally made Captain Jack and the Modocs out to be villains.

However, in modern day America, if you visit Lava Beds National Monument you can explore Captain Jack's Stronghold and the Visitor's Center tells the accurate history of what transpired.

Much like the historical markers in Village Creek Natural Historic Area, sort of tell the accurate story of what transpired in that location.

My Regular Sunday Walk With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Was Blowing Below Freezing Today

The Sunny Sunday View Of The Village Creek Blue Bayou

With it being Sunday and creature of habit that I be, today in the noon time frame I drove to Arlington to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area to walk with the chilled Ghosts of the Indians who used to live here in one of the biggest Indian Villages in North America, til the Natives were run out of their town by incoming Texans and their primitive use of an early version of eminent domain.

We are having another gusty day in North Texas. So gusty that the wind chill factor had the 41 degrees feeling like 4 degrees below freezing when I entered the outer world.

As seems to be the pattern there were a number of other people enjoying the brisk wind blowing over Village Creek today.

Due to the big trees that line the walkway that you pass under as you commune with nature in this location, when it is windy, you must keep an eye out for flying branches and other airborne debris.

I had no flying branch incidents today.

As you can see via the screencap I made of the weather conditions prior to taking off to visit the Indians it is going to be cold for the next 5 days.

It appears that there will be no 24 hour periods where the temperature averages 50 degrees or above. This means I will not be swimming into the foreseeable future.

Without my salubrious morning swim my health is likely to quickly deteriorate. And I will get very very cranky. A substitute must be found.

Walking With My Mom & The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Before Eating Too Much Turkey

The Village Creek Thanksgiving Blue Bayou

It is another pleasantly warm day in paradise here in the parched part of the planet I currently reside in called Texas.

Speaking of Texas, Top Chef Texas is doing Texas proud. This week I learned how to better make chili and saw Padma ride a horse in a San Antonio rodeo.

Today, prior to my Turkey Buffet, I walked with my mom and the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

After mom stopped talking to me I left the Indian Ghosts and went to Wal-Mart because I'd forgotten to get olives.

I knew Wal-Mart would be open. I never expected it to be so busy with so many checkers. I asked my olive checker if they got paid more for working on Thanksgiving. She said, "Oh, yeah!" More checkers were going to be on duty by 5 because, apparently, a lot of people come in after eating turkey to begin their Christmas shopping.

My Turkey Buffet went well. Except for the mashed potatoes. Let's just say I changed the name to chunky potatoes. No one complained. But I did not like them. I've never had a problem making mashed potatoes before. I've no clue what went awry.

I had a nice long swim this morning. Since it is currently 65 degrees in the outer world at my location I likely will be able to have another nice long swim tomorrow morning.

I had to take a time out from eating to do my blogging thing. It's time for pumpkin and lemon meringue pie now.

Walking & Talking With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Thinking About Fred Jackson & Bubba's Sex Change

Village Creek Kids Looking For Turtles

I don't know what happened to the 80 something degrees those weather predictors predicted for today. It was 65 when I went swimming this morning. Now, at around an hour past noon that number has reversed and it is now 56 degrees in the outer world in my location.

The forecast is still forecasting Thunder and Rain and has added tomorrow, Monday, as a wet, electrical day.

I went to one of my favorite walking locations, the Village Creek Natural Historical Area, today. On Sunday's there are a lot of people enjoying walking and playing with the Indian Spirits that inhabit the Historical Area, including the two little kids and their dad you see in the picture.

Changing the subject now to football.

Village Creek is in Arlington. Arlington is where the Dallas Cowboys play football. A couple days ago I blogged about NFL Films wanting to use some of my photos of the destruction caused by the worst abuse of eminent domain in American history. The person who contacted me from NFL Films told me they were doing a story on Fred Jackson and his boyhood home that had been lost to the Cowboy bulldozers. I had no clue who Fred Jackson was or why NFL Films would focus on him.

And then I heard from JJ..........

JJ has left a new comment on your post "A Cloudy Cold Tandy Hills With The Dallas Cowboy Stadium Scandal Back Haunting Me": 

Hey Durango, Fred Jackson is playing a key role in the success of the NFL's Buffalo Bills. He was born in FW but grew up in the Arlington neighborhood that was located in and around the current Eminent Domain Abuse Stadium. Could be an interesting story, especially considering all the odds that this guy had to overcome in order to compete at the highest level, especially his small stature + playing in a tiny college, not picked by any NFL team, etc. 

Changing the subject from football to running around Christmas lights. A couple days ago I mentioned Cori asking me if I thought it doable to do a group run past the Interlochen Christmas lights. This morning I heard from Bubba with an alternative suggestion...

Bubba has left a new comment on your post "Walking With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Think About Running Past The Interlochen Christmas Lights With Cori": 

Cori and his fellow runners should consider the Diamond Loch area in Haltom City and North Richland Hills. The decorations are on a smaller scale but comparable to the way overcrowded and tiny streets in Interlochen. Plus the said neighborhood is right off of loop 820 and Ruff Snow, with lots of parking/staging in nearby parks and schools and churches. And the streets are very wide and thus much safer for walkers/cyclers/runners. BTW, who is Cori and co. running from?? Do they need some good hiding places, too? 

Bubba has turned Cori from a girl into a guy. That's disturbing.

Walking With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts Thinking About Running Past The Interlochen Christmas Lights With Cori

Otherworldly Red Leaves In
 Village Creek Natural Historical Area

Even though it was only 42 degrees at the time I did so, I did get in the pool this morning. For a short time. And then I retreated to the hot tub.

On my way to Pantego to the ALDI Food Market today I stopped for a walking with the Native American ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

Since I last walked with the ghosts the red leaves you see in the picture appeared. My photographer skills do not do justice to how other worldly this plant was looking today.

The paved trail through the Village Creek Natural Area takes you to the Interlochen neighborhood, widely believed by many who live in this parched part of the planet to be the location of the best Christmas lighting displays in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.

I don't know if it ironic or coincidental, or both, but the first email I saw upon waking up my computer, upon my return, was a comment from Cori asking me about Interlochen.....

cori has left a new comment on your post "Interlochen Christmas Lights Map & Directions": 

Durango!
I am thinking about setting up a little group run with my friends through a Christmas lit neightborhood and interlochen seems to be the best one around, but do you think they would let us in, and would there be too much traffic? I'm not sure of the set up with the sidewalks and what have you. 

Let me know your thoughts and you're of course invited! 

I can not remember the last time I went running with Cori through a neighborhood lit up for Christmas. I don't see why this would not be doable. One would need to find a place to park and assemble outside the Interlochen zone and then jog right past the police directing the traffic.

It has been a few years since I've toured the Interlochen Christmas lights. I think the last time was with Miss Puerto Rico. Those Interlochen lights will be lit up a week from today, that being the day after Thanksgiving.

Walking With The Ghosts Of Village Creek Talking To Miss Puerto Rico About The Bad Experience Of Flying Home On Spirit Airlines

The Village Creek Bayou On Sunday November 13, 2011

Miss Puerto Rico called whilst I was walking today with the Native American ghosts who live among the giant oaks of Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

This was the first I'd spoken with Miss Puerto Rico since her return to her home island. She was calling from her hometown, Coamo's Super Wal-Mart.

Miss Puerto Rico flew Spirit Airlines home this time. She says she will never fly on Spirit Airlines ever again.

Miss Puerto Rico does not check in any luggage, ever since American Airlines lost her luggage a couple years ago. She keeps most of what she needs, when home, at her parent's house in Coamo. All she takes with her on the plane is one small bag and her portable DVD player. Spirit Airlines charged $38 to carry those two items onboard.

I find this hard to believe, but that's what Miss PR told me.

The next outrage was there were no complimentary drinks or snacks after being airborne. Spirit Airlines charged Miss Puerto Rico $3 for a Diet Coke. Same price for water or coffee. And you could not pay with cash. You had to use a credit card.

I find it hard to believe that airlines are not required to provide hydration to its customers. The inside of a plane can be very dehydrating.

The last time I was in the sky. by the time I got to Albuquerque. I'd had several refills of my glass of Coke. My throat was burning bad. And then on the next leg, to Seattle, the nice Southwest Airlines stewardess took pity on my parchedness and gave me a whole can of Coke.

Changing the subject from Miss Puerto Rico and Spirit Airlines to my favorite subject.

The temperature.

It is currently 82 degrees in the outer world, at my location, in the middle of this Sunday afternoon. My windows are open. I may go swimming again. This morning's swim went well, with no shivering after effects.

Getting Rejected For Not Being Allowed On The Way To Walk With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts

The Blue Bayou of Village Creek 

It was colder and windier than I anticipated it would be today when I entered the outer world to head to Village Creek Natural Historical Area to commune with nature and the ghosts of all the Indians who used to roam in the Village Creek zone.

I've never seen the water of the Village Creek Bayou be as clear as it was today. I've only seen this water being really murky.

Speaking of murky. On the way to Village Creek I stopped to get gas at Fast Trac. I swiped my card to be told that this particular card is not allowed. Or something like that. I've used this particular card at this particular location many times.

I decided to ignore the not allowed card problem and just drive on.

I finished my salubrious walking with the Indians and drove to Wal-Mart where my card worked fine. Then on the way back here I stopped at QT to get gas, fearing more card rejection. But, it was not rejected.

The Fast Trac card reader has had problems in the past. I'm assuming this was the case today.

Switching subjects to my favorite subject. The temperature. I was wrong, earlier, when I said the weather predictors predicted last night's temperature incorrectly. It's tonight that the predictions have us possibly freezing. I must learn to more closely pay attention to my weather forecasts.

Along with paying closer attention to my weather forecasts, I must pay closer attention to what month I am living in. This morning I suddenly realized I'd forgotten to wish my mom a happy birthday when I called on the 30th. Which means I woke up this morning thinking it is February, because my mom's birthday is January 30.

Not October 30.

It was about a full minute before I realized the month I am currently living in is November. Does anyone know what the symptoms are for early onslaught of Alzheimer's?

Fishing In Village Creek & The Blue Bayou Thinking About Going To Academy Sports Tonight To Get My Texas Rangers World Series Pennant Souvenirs

Grandpa & Grandkids Fishing In Village Creek

Swimming this morning went surprisingly well. The air at that point in time was chilled to around 45 degrees. The water was warmer than the air. Or so it felt.

Tonight it will get chillier, supposedly, if you trust the predictions of the weather gurus, who have issued a Frost Advisory. I guess this means I should put blankets over my palm trees.

I had not gone walking or hiking in a couple days, unless you count wandering for miles around the Fort Worth Stockyards as taking a walk.

Today I went to Village Creek Natural Historical Area and had myself a walk.

This Little Guy Was Hollering "Grandpa I Caught One."

When I reached the Village Creek Blue Bayou I came upon a Norman Rockwellan scene of a grandma and grandpa with a pair of grandkids, fishing in the bayou. Later I came upon them again, in the scene above, having taking their fishing operation out of the bayou, directly to Village Creek, fishing from the dam/bridge.

Earlier today I did not know if the final World Series games was tonight or not. I know now it is tonight.

I also now know that if the Texas Rangers win, no matter how late that win might happen, the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex zone Academy Sports stores will be re-opening so that thousands of rabid baseball fans can buy Texas Rangers World Series memorabilia.

I assume this winning World Series memorabilia will be baseball caps and t-shirts. And maybe bumper stickers? Who knows? What I do know for certain is I don't know where an Academy Sports store is, so I won't be rushing to one if the Rangers win the World Series.

Which I'm sure they will.

I may go to the celebration part that will likely take place at the Ballpark in Arlington, which is only a few miles east of my abode. I am almost 100% I have never been to a World Series winning celebration before.

Walking With The Ghosts Of Village Creek Thinking About Pregnant Goats, Asperger's Syndrome, Caribbean Cruising & Disneyland

The dense fog that blanketed my zone of this parched part of the planet lifted by the noon time frame when I headed to Pantego.

The route to Pantego passes by the Village Creek Natural Historical Area. Even though I'd just been to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area yesterday, I decided to stop for a walk.

The newly refilled with water, Village Creek Blue Bayou, was looking particularly blue today.

This morning I found myself being perplexed by Betty Jo Bouvier and her assertion that decades ago I had allegedly been mean to a pregnant goat. I have absolutely no recollection of ever being in the presence of a pregnant goat. I would think I would remember such a thing.

Betty Jo Bouvier has a history of remembering things I don't remember. Such as Betty Jo's claim that she, me and one of the future stars of LOST, went skinnydipping at Bay View State Park when we were teenagers. I may have forgotten about being mean to a pregnant goat, but I'm almost totally certain I would remember skinnydipping with Betty Jo Bouvier and Honey Lulu.

Speaking of strange behavior. Yesterday a concerned bystander was discussing Gar the Texan Nerd's strange behavior with me. Gar the Texan Nerd is currently on his 8th or 9th Caribbean cruise of the year. Gar the Texan Nerd now bills himself as a "Professional Cruiser." I don't know how well this pays.

I explained to the concerned bystander that Gar the Texan had recently been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. When I was told about this diagnoses it was an aha moment for me, as in 'aha,' that explains the strange behavior of Gar the Texan Nerd.

Anyway, having a fun experience, like going on a cruise, and then mindlessly repeating the experience over and over again is a classic Asperger's type thing.

This morning this got me thinking if Gar the Texan Nerd going on a cruise 9 times in one year is an Asperger's Syndrome symptom, then do I have Asperger's too, what with my almost daily swimming and walking or hiking?

It gives me pause to wonder.

There was a time when I was younger, in my 20s, maybe early 30s, when I'd drive down to Southern California once a year, either in the spring or fall. Always going to Disneyland as part of the trip to Southern California. I think if, back then, I found myself driving to Southern California and Disneyland 8 or 9 times a year I would have been concerned I was going nuts. I don't think Asperger's Syndrome had been invented yet, by that point in time.

Un-Naturally Looking For Sycamore Trees, Facebook & Shovels Today At Village Creek Natural Historical Area

Some Un-Natural Signage On Some Un-Natural Concrete

At some point in time in the previous 12 hours rain soaked the parched parks in this part of the planet. This soaking made the Village Creek Natural Historical Area my area of choice, today, for my daily aerobic stimulation.

There has been a time or two I've thought to myself that it is a bit odd to call this location a "Natural Area."

The Tandy Hills Natural Area might have a thing or two that isn't all that natural, but not to the level of un-natural that exists in the Village Creek Natural Area.

Today, at the point where the paved trail starts at the west end of the Natural Area I noticed a new sign had been laminated on to the concrete. That makes for two un-natural elements, one being the paved concrete trail, the other being the laminated sign, added east of the already installed un-natural brass plaque, dedicated to those who helped bring about the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Apparently Arlington's Park Fans Are
Naturally Fun!

The laminated sign informs us that "Our Fans Are Naturally Fun." And asks to be liked on Facebook. Apparently you can get a free app for your phone by aiming your phone at the free app symbol. My phone is not smart so this option was not available to me.

There were a lot of people enjoying the Natural Area today. I even saw a rare sighting of a family picnicking deep inside the Natural Historical Area. We are in that rare sweet spot, temperature-wise, where North Texans will venture outdoors for some park fun.

About a mile from the parking lot I came upon the strange scene you see below. A camouflage jacket, a shovel and a bucket.

What Sort Of Nut Hauls A Bucket & Shovel Into
A Natural Area?

Why would someone haul a shovel and bucket so deep into this Natural Historical Area I wondered to myself? There was nothing in the bucket.

I continued walking. About a half mile later I came upon a guy in camouflage pants that matched the jacket. He also had a matching camouflage hat in the Aussie Outback style, that always looks a bit goofy to me.

I asked the camouflage guy if that was his jacket, bucket and shovel that I came across back a half mile. He indicated it was. I asked what he was digging for. He told me he was hoping to dig up some Sycamore tree roots. I asked why. He said Sycamore trees look cool and he wanted one in his yard. I wished the camouflage guy good luck and then hurried away from him.

Did this guy not realize he was in a park? A Natural Area type park? You don't go digging in a park, let alone a Natural Area that is very Historical.

I have no idea what a Sycamore tree looks like.

A Sunday Walk To The Village Creek Bayou With Eerie Sightings Of Migratory Buzzards

I wanted to go to Pantego today, to ALDI, to get some food. The Village Creek Natural Historical Area is on the way to ALDI.

So, I stopped to walk along Village Creek under the giant oak trees and gaze out at the peaceful serenity of the now full of water Village Creek Bayou.

Life has returned to the formerly dry bayou. Life like turtles. Where did the turtles go when there was no water?

I've really had myself a tiresome past week. It began with some relative revelations first brought to me whilst I was walking along Village Creek. And continued with continuing relative revelations throughout the week.

By Saturday I had had enough with the relative revelations. Making today the first day in a week relatively free of relative revelations.

And don't get me started on the cryptic i-Phone messages I've been getting from Elsie Hotpepper today about migrating buzzards and eerie sightings.

Arlington's Village Creek Flooding After Last Night's Thunderstorm Downpours

I was a little surprised when I reached the parking lot at Village Creek Natural Historical Area, off Dottie Lynn Parkway, to find the entry closed.

Due to flooding.

We did get some downpouring last night, but at my location not enough hit the ground to cause the type of flooding that closed Village Creek Natural Historical Area today.

Not able to enter the Natural Area from the west, I drove to Interlochen to see how much water was flooding through Village Creek.

As you can see in the picture, flooding is blocking the ability to cross the dam/bridge that leads in to Village Creek Natural Historical Area from the east.

So, I called a distant relative, who I had not spoken to for over 5 years, and proceeded to walk along the Bob Findlay Linear Park trail that leads out of the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

A Columbus Day Walk With The Indian Ghosts & My Arizona Sister In Village Creek Natural Historical Area

Today, with it being Columbus Day, that being the day we Americans celebrate Christopher Columbus landing in the year 1492 in what we now know as the Bahamas, I decided to walk among the Indian Ghosts of Village Creek in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

Little did the Village Creek area Indians know that in that year of 1492 someone from another continent had landed on their side of the Atlantic, in search of the East Indies, which caused the natives found to be called "Indios," the Spanish name for Indians.

Columbus had convinced the Spanish crown to finance his expedition to find a more expeditious route to the lucrative Asian spice market. Columbus never claimed to have discovered a previously unknown continent. I guess he thought he'd found some really far East Indies.

Columbus made 3 more voyages to the Americas, never reaching the part of the New World now known as America. He did visit the part of South America now known as Venezuela.

On his voyage of 1492 Columbus kidnapped a couple dozen "Indians" to take back to Spain to show to the Spanish Royal Court. Most of the "Indians" did not make it to Spain alive.

Columbus was not the first European explorer to find the Americas. But the voyages of Columbus were what began the flood of Europeans on to the American continents, beginning the process of colonization and confiscation of native lands. Not to mention the genocide of the native population, with the worst invaders in that regard being the brutal Spanish with their fervor to convert the heathen savages to Catholicism, even if it meant murdering them to save their souls.

Three centuries after 1492, give or take a decade or two, the world change set in motion by Columbus had changed the world of one of the biggest Indian Villages in America, that being the huge village that existed for miles along the shores of Village Creek in what became Texas, after the Texans took the land from the Indians and then the Mexicans.

Changing the subject from a holiday I really think America needs to re-think celebrating, to my sister in Arizona. I'd not talked to my sister since her return from her visit to Washington. So, my sister went walking with me when I walked with the Village Creek Indian Ghosts today. It was a relatively interesting talk until my aching elbow could no longer hold the phone.